Written by Simon de Montfort of AnnoDomini and Finz of NightmareChaos
  
  Giro di Montelbano is coming soon and we stumbled upon one of the top hill sprinters from Poland Bartosz Pilarski, who was on vacation in the Lecce area where the Giro di Montelbano is set, to tell us who he thinks is the one to watch for this tour.
  
  Bartosz, this is a new tour in OCM, what do you think about it.
  I think it is a great way to honour riders like Sandro Montelbano. He is a legend and his name deserves to be remembered. I hope he wins the first edition of his tour and then does not race it again, which would have a symbolic meaning, something like passing on the Olympic Torch to other young talented riders. I also regret I am not here competing.
  
  He must be very confident to race this tour.
  Yes, I guess he is. Just imagine he loses it, what would happen then. They will still love him I think.
  
  Who do you think would be the biggest threat.
  First stage is a mixture of hills and long flat roads, which means lots of attacking. On paper it looks like Jimmi Broders may be the strongest one, but guys like Gracjan Sowa, Shawn Hattrup, Gerard Cygan or Eliot Wacker will be dangerous as well.
  
  How about the timetrial.
  This may be the key stage actually. There are some good timetrial riders in the pack, but I would bet for Torgeir Kleppe, on a good day he can beat Sandro.
  
  Last stage is a flat sprint so it should not change anything in the General Classification.
  This one will be tight, Mullan, Ugolnikov, Alsharaa, van der Talen, there are many riders capable of claiming this one. It will just depend on who gets the best leadout I think. But for General Classification its the first two stages which count and in my opinion, if anyone is to beat Montelbano, it is Gracjan Sowa.
  
   Matrix team
  
  With an invitation received to celebrate the first Giro die Montelbano, Matrix team has number one and gladly handed it over to Sandro Montelbano. This Top division team is a favourite for vitctory in the tour. With Nicholas Ryle as his lieutenant they have a second great rider that can secure a nice result. Will Sandro Montelbano repay the honour....
  
   English Sprinting Team
  
  All English, English Sprinting Team signed up with Carrol Mullan. With victories in Fast on Wheels and Nederlandse Tour this rider showed what a great sprinter he is. With his team behind him he wants to win the final stage and try to do good in the first stage.
  
   mapei bianchi
  
  Italian mapei bianchi has a young captain in Edan Teitke. The Englishman just turned twenty four and is considered an allrounder. He will not finish high up in the stages but if he manages a top nine every time he could even go for a very decent result.
  
   BennysBadekar
  
  Danish BennysBadekar has my good friend Gracjan Sowa as captain. A rival to Sandro Montelbano for the victory. The team really goes for the first and second stage, Gracjan Sowa can

score results in both stages. With those results he can even win the complete tour and give BennysBadekar his second tour victory.
  
   Onie
  
  Ward Van Eijcken is the captain of Onie. His technical skill should prevent him from making major mistakes and he can use that to stay on his bike on stage one when the hills demand much from the riders. With his decent time trial skills he can prevent much time loss on stage two but it will probably not enough and a top nine result would be too much to ask for.
  
   old town racing club
  
  Scottish old town racing club is having faith in Shawn Hattrup and he can bring them much joy on stage one. His hill abilities are very good and he should send many riders home with some seconds behind him. On stage two he will probably loose against the timetrial riders and stage three will not be his stage. He will finish in the pack and tries to keep his position in the General Classification.
  
   Lots o Huggin Bear
  
  With Fathi Alsharaa they started as their number one captain. But Lots o Huggin Bear was in a rollercoaster this week. First an injury for Mohamed Nuri Mosbah that gave a blow to their tour dreams and right behind the unexpected topform of Luis Sherteel. A Youth Classification victory is what they dream of now.
  
   Burren Connemara
  
  With an all Irish team, Burren Connemara tries to challenge Montelbano on his own turf. Albert Sandor is the rider that should surprise him on stage one. He will do his best to stay enough ahead to survive stage two. A fairly decent rider and he can score points and money this tour.
  
   Avataria
  
  Torgeir Kleppe is the young captain of Avataria. With this rider they want to win stage two and thus, the tour. He has the support of experienced Eliot Wacker for the first and second stage but it is almost certain that the Youth Classification is the one he is after.
  
   Cycling Nieuwegein
  
  Cisco Piza is the captain of Cycling Nieuwegein and he should give his best result on stage one. Bartoli Edo is helping him getting over the more difficult mountains. Stage two would prove more difficult to maintain his advantage and we will not see him in the top nine of stage three. But he will bring home some points and perhaps a result.
  
   Nobodies
  
  Nobodies is having Jimmi Broders, a young and good rider that is capable of doing great on stage one and good on stage three. The lack in timetrial experience will see him fall back after stage one and not returning in stage three. Jimmi Broders is a rider that can get a result in the future in this tour when his timetrial abilities are improving.
  
   Telstra
  
  Former powerhouse, Telstra, is trying to get back up. Telstra resided in Top division for a long time and wants to go back. They have in Darcy Rodwell a nice and young

rider that can get a result in stage two. Will he beat Sandro Montelbano and work his way up the ranks. Stage two is his main target, everything else is a bonus.
  
   NightmareChaos
  
  Konrey Agliullin has received the role as captain for NightmareChaos. With an experienced but, aging support team he can finish close on stage one. With a super timetrial he can try to move some places up and secure his position on stage three. No real expectations for this team and a top nine is possible.
  
   AK Pro Race
  
  AK Pro Race is coming from Poland to let Marian Zawadzki score points in stage two. They do not expect him to finish high in the first and last stage. With his timetrial technique he can finish a top nine on stage two.
  
   AnnoDomini
  
  On the same time a second Polish team signed up. This was AnnoDomini, with their captain Darko Majcen. A pure sprinter that can surprise in a terrain with hills. This could make him the surprise of stage one. If he does manage a great result the tour is a success for AnnoDomini, as he will loose it all on stage two. His team lacks power to finish up high on the flat third stage.
  
   Red Brigade CT
  
  Red Brigade CT has Gerard Cygan is their number one captain. With a victory in Fast on Wheels last season, where he took all three jerseys, it is no wonder they want to win stage one. They can stay up front with the winners' luck they receive on stage two and finish it off on stage three again. If only he had topform.
  
   Conero cycling team
  
  Conero cycling team could not let the opportunity pass to race a tour in his own country and honour a great countryman. They will honour him with breakaways. The team is not really ready for this tour in terms of strength and capabilities but what does it matter, they joined, that matters.
  
   Carnap Kickers
  
  Danish Carnap Kickers used the tour to give Bertil Rachlin a chance on a stagewin on stage one. This strong hill sprinter should really go for this stage because the other two are out of his reach and we will not see this team high up in the General Classification but they have no expectations for that either.
  
   fuccboi
  
  Inigo Otero is the rider for Norwegian fuccboi. Probably the youngest team in the tour and with the Venezuelan rider they want to score some points on stage one. The team is probably not strong enough to compete against the big teams but they could always surprise them and finish there, to take home some money.
  
   Oekiewakkie
  
  Dutch Oekiewakkie was surprised he could still sign up after he sort of missed it when he took the wrong train to Montelbano. They have a young captain that is happy to get this role. It boosts his experience level. The team will not be able to surprise the followers unless they win their breakaway.