Written by Roprop of Twente Cycling Team
  
  The race of the Minutemen is not just an ordinary race. For years it has been the first real climbers tour a starting team would be able to join. Forget Fast on Wheels, that is a sprinters paradise. In a few days, the race in the promised land is starting again, and looking at the contestants we might be in for a real splash. Will good old Lindegaard be able to prolong his title? Will Petrescu finally win a tour? Or will the young Ammar Zenagui follow up his YC win with the real deal? Let's meet the teams.
  
   Sons of the Desert
  Last year Terkel Lindegaard surprised everyone with his great climbing legs and this year he's back! With the green fairy and the entire team in support of Lindegaard, Sons of the Desert hope to repeat the same thing they did last year. Win it. Their preparation doesn't bode well for them though, as they lost a very important team mate to an injury. Tough luck.
  
   Honor et Patria
  For our second team we can immediately add another GC contender to the list. Jasper Sófusson, last years winner of Monte Rosa Tour, will be participating in top form and he has the team mates to back him up. The manager told me his goal was top 3 in the GC. That is played modesty. Honor et Patria could, and should be aiming for the win here.
  
   Fighting
  Traditionally, there is one time trial team present and here it is. Apparently, their goal is to win both TT's and he already apologised to me for doing so ahead of Petrescu. So clearly, this team has no shortage of ambition. Even at 35 years old, Gian Calliani won the time trial in Perm last year. Can he do the same in capitalist America? Also at this teams disposal is Steve Belanger, the American TT'er who will be in TF and won the prologue of this years Monte Rosa Tour. Can he do it here as well?
  
   Optimus Prime
  A few season ago, the name Heinrich Matthäus would make other sprinting teams wet their pants. The former Sprinting Classification winner is getting old though, and he is a mere lead out in this edition. The captain will be Vidar Lien, a good sprinter in top form. Optimus Prima will be one of the competitors for the SC once again.
  
   BrokenChain
  It's not very usual for Vietnamese people to come to America, but here they are. Luckily though, it is very unlikely that BrokenChain will walk away with the Stars and Stripes jersey. While the team lacks top form and TT centered riders, they do bring some nice climbers to the mix. Mats Zoetemelk and Dennis Douwes should be in for some top 9s in the climbing stages.
  
   Manisaspor
  The manager of Manisaspor told me he was shocked with the fierce sprinting competition he wil face in this Race of the Minutemen. Upon seeing that, Sabri Rasim decided

this is not the best team to peak. Manisaspor will be in for some top 9's in the sprinting stages, but we can't expect much more from this squad.
  
   Joensuu
  We don't get to see a full Finnish cycling squad all that often. Although their jersey design definitely doesn't represent the great country of Finland, their captain definitely does. Veijo Vuorinen has been with Joensuu its entire career and it’s his time to shine. Despite a good leadout team though, this years competition might be too tough for the sprinting team to get a great result. Luckily, the manager told me their goal was to enjoy it and have fun! That should be possible.
  
   Siete Villas
  Homeboy Billy Fitzsimmons has his first opportunity to shine in a tour, and what better place to start than in the area where you grew up? Unfortunately though, Billy will probably have to settle for few top 9 results, as he is not the great climber some of his competitors are. But then again, this is the tour of surprises, so don’t count him out.
  
   Borussia Milano
  Borussia Milano brings a special kind of captain to this tour in top form. The former YC winner of Fast on Wheels has good time trial legs and should be accounted for at both time trials. The Italian squad will also bring a decent climber to America with Bart de Moor but, he should not be that dangerous for the real favourites.
  
   Quick step minded
  For Chris Bauwens, this is basically a farewell tour. The Belgium star is 35 years old now and will be here in what could be the last top form of his career. He is not the real captain of his squad though. The Belgiums came here to win the SC with both Torgeir Brenna and Jéger László as excellent sprinter. Quick step minded should be considered an outsider for all stages in this tour.
  
   Team Stekke
  With this Belgian squad we can enter another climber to the just-not-a-favourite-in-the-mountains-list. Sem van Huffel is good, but without TF he will probably be fighting for places 4-9. If teams however let him break away without reacting adequately, he might as well be in for a result in the mountains.
  
   iheb pro team
  The first of the Tunisian brothers participating here could be in for a nice week. Last edition the unmaxed Ammar Zenagui ended up in third place in the GC, while winning the YC as well. This year he is better, and he has a green fairy to back him up. His lack of good support might break this teaqm up though. Despite that, Zenagui is an absolute favourite for the podium this season.
  
   Team Albatro
  And here is another sprinting team joining the parade. Two seasons ago, Jørg Lundberg finished third in the Sprinting Classification, but it

is unlikely that he will improve on that this season. Team Albatros can be considered a lock for some top 9s in the sprinting stages.
  
   Treaty City CC
  You gotta love this team. Well, you gotta love their jersey. Apart from the graphical aspect, they are a competitive team too. With Abel Wilkin they bring another great young GC contender to America and they have good hopes of finishing on the podium.
  
   Elmeros
  A lot of managers told me they are in for the SC, but they are afraid of the Norwegian Beast. The manger himself stays humble, but he shouldn't. Øystein Ottesen is the best sprinter division 4 has to offer and for him to miss out on the sprinting jersey would be an absolute shocker.
  
   Ahmed Cycling team
  Here it is, the second laaribi brother. His team is not here for the GC though, but he brings some decent sprinters. It is very unlikely that the brotherly battle will be won by ahmed cycling team, as this team does not possess the great rider iheb cycling team has. Bad luck bro. Good thing you're still able to get some top 9s.
  
   BCTeam
  Nari Iacone is back. For the last couple of editions he has been here every time. He is not a GC candidate, he is not a sprinter, he is not a TTer, he is basically mister top 9. Their largest opportunity lies in the prologue there, where Celso Barcelos and Iacone have a good chance to win. Time will tell if a good prologue will be enough for Iacone to finish high in the overall standings.
  
   Lysskar Nabolag
  The manager told me he completely ran out of expectations when his TT captain, and important lead out Jens Haugland crashed out of this tour because of an injury. Ernst Krogh in top form does miss an important piece of his lead off train, but he'll keep his head up to battle for a sprinting win. He would have to battle off some other good sprinters though, including the Norwegian beast.
  
   JV Pro Cycling
  JV Pro Cycling recently bought last seasons number three Noe Rubio and he signed up late with his reserved spot. Despite that, Noe Rubio won't be here though, as he is recharging his top form. That doesn't mean the American squad should despair though, as they still have the great climber Cody Bright with them. The YC winner of edition 7 will just be short of top form though, and he may be considered as an outsider for the title.
  
   Twente Cycling Team
  Last but not least, here I am. Roman Petrescu finished second in the last 2 editions of this tour and he is sick of it. With Vaquero and van Dongen as support group, this will be Petrescu's chance to shine. At least we know one thing for sure, Mt. Washington ITT will be for Petrescu, who will be here in top form.