Written by honzas of PEKAC B
  
  In the season 28, the Welsh tour Cymru Taith celebrates its 20th anniversary. And we are now looking at the queue of the famous riders who came to congratulate and celebrate with the OCM organizers. We can see the winners of the last four editions, Tapuwa Mathema, Sandro Montelbano, Luís Landim and Reinhard Holtslag and many others. Who are the main contenders this season? We had a look at the (expected) team captains of 20 squads battling for the jerseys with a dragon, green one for general classification winner and white one for the best young rider. Here are the profiles:
  
  Jack Andren is sign up as the captain of the Team WonderDee. But we believe that it is Knud Øgendahl who came to Wales to win the last stage. He needs to lift his spirit after his injury in the last stage of Volta ao Porto, which deprived him of the almost certain green jersey.
  
  Jonathan Bullock, is the captain of the American team California Mist, is in top form and have a strong squad of supporters. He is the real GC competitor and raging favourite of the first stage. This is his second visit in Wales.
  
  Danish team mutants madrid signed up French time trialist as their captain. Unfortunately for him, lack of hill skills and support allows him to hope for the result in TT only. Anything else would be rather surprise.
  
  Jimmi Broders representing Danish team Nobodies is another GC contender, who can claim podium result in the stage 1 and in GC. He already finished 2nd in the first Giro di Montelbano, just behind Sir Sandro, the king of Essex.
  
  Danish TT squad, rooney17, signed-up Abelardo Rabal as their captain. As a strong TTer with decent hill abilities, he definitle has a good chance for a nice result in GC. It also wouldn’t be surprise if the team gets multiple top9s in the second TT stage.
  
  Bohuslav Racko from PEKAC B was 11th and won the last stage here three seasons ago. This season, he wants to conquer top9 in the GC and get the result in the last stage. Top form can help him to achieve this. Will he succeed?
  
  Experienced Tamati Lima, the current leader of the New Zealand ranking, from Velo Kiwi is multiple winner of Monte Rosa Tour and defends 4th place in the general classification from the last season here. Although he does not have any top9 result this season, he still should be counted as the real GC contender and top9 candidate.
  
  Argentinian champion Estebe Pimental from Spanish ekaitz team is here to show his TT skills in the second stage. Any result in the general classification would be rather surprise.
  
  The fully South African team SK12KOTH with the young captain Bradley McVeigh is here to compete in the youth classification. Due to his lack of TT skills, he will probably not win but top3 is definitely achievable.
  
  Experienced skirmisher Max Weber leads another South African squad, nonnies. He has extensive experience as team mate from Essex from the

past but this is probably his first chance to show his quality as captain in a tour. Fingers crossed.
  
  Conrad De Graef from Borstelharen has only one goal and it is stage 3. His days will probably come rather in the Nederlandse tour later this season.
  
  First former winner in our overview is Luís Landim from Darkwave Recordings. He won edition 17 and would not be angry if he repeats this result.
  
  Zeferino Saraiva from the Italian squad Indierock was voted as 2nd best hiller of the last season so he is definitely one of the podium candidates in the first stage. Only the lack of TT skills might disqualify him from the real chance for the GC podium at the end of the tour.
  
  EpoTopTeam enters the tour with the edition 16 winner Reinhard Holtslag. Similarly to Luís Landim, repeating of his biggest result would be a surprise this season but no one could be angry if it happens.
  
  The Slovak team radu comes with their young domestic captain Matej Zošák . He is the real contender for the YC and a top9 result in the GC would not be a surprise.
  
  A TTer Mirel Matei of the Danish team Designa Legends PPDB relies mainly on his perfect TT skills. Due to his young age, top# in the YC completion should not surprise.
  
  Russian team NightmareChaos is presenting another experienced rider as their captain, Korney Agliullin, the current leader of the Russian ranking. Although we wish him all the best, the tGC top nine would be a great success for his team.
  
  Last years winner Tapuwa Mathema changed its team but he is again perfectly prepared for his main goal of the season. Last year, he won the tour for Opium Fueled and this year he wants to repeat it for his new employer , Norwegian team Hells Grannies.
  
  Last year’s runner up Joachim Kerch, representing the top division team ABK wants finally to get the green jersey. The team manager Andreas Brasen promised not to join again in case that Joachim succeeds but can never believe in such strange words if you know the magic of the tours. Definitely, leaving Cymru witout the YC jersey would be big disappointment for the team,
  
  And finally, Sir Sandro Montelbano wants to repeat his GC victory from season 18. He already has 7 consecutive titles from Essex Tour and quite recent win in the Tour designed in his honour but he should not be satisfied with only one jersey from Cymru.
  
  And what are the expectations:
  
  GC:
  
  *****
  Joachim Kerch, Tapuwa Mathema, Sandro Montelbano
  ****
  Jonathan Bullock, Jimmi Broders
  *** or less
  the others
  
  YC:
  ***********
  Joachim Kerch
  **
  Mirel Matei, Bradley McVeigh and Matej Zošák
  *
  big surprise