Written by Michael of English Sprinting Team
  
  Welcome to the preview of the twentieth edition of the Nederlandse Tour. We will give you a brief introduction to the teams that have entered this tour, with their star riders and their managers telling what they hope to get out of this tour. Also you will find a brief prediction of who will win what stage, predicted by the people.
  
   Seeds2
  
  This newly reformed sprinting team entered first, and bring a duo of Belgic sprinting talents, one being more apt to hill/technique sprinting and the other to flat road sprinting. Another two Belgic lead outs and two Scottish lead outs will be helping the captains to bring in the results for their manager. Marchal should do alright in the fourth stage and Swin looks good for the rest.
  
   ABK
  
  Manager Andreas brings time trial rider Alan Klostergård as captain for the general classification. He should do alright in the time trial and he has already proved himself once here, getting second in the general classification a few seasons back. Also going to the Netherlands are five Danish lead outs. Klostergård should do well in the first stage, then it’ll be hard after that.
  
   Vientiane Cycling
  
  Keegan Shuba, who this season has raced in division nine, in Kangaroo Tour, is now racing here. The team has come a long way in such a short period of time. Shuba got sixth in the general classification at Kangaroo Tour and a result in a stage there. He’ll have five lead outs to help him, so he’ll have a good chance to impress. Stage four should be a good stage for him.
  
   blast
  
  Hill sprinter Donatello Benítez will be a good pick for the fourth stage, but will that be good enough to achieve a high general classification place? I think Brandan Wehrl will captain the flat road sprint stages. Going with them will be three lead outs and another hill sprinter. This team will want to pick up money in the hill sprint and try to get a few top nines in the flat sprints.
  
   Stroopwafel
  
  Gerrit Grasmaaijer looks like a rider capable of keeping with the time trial rider in the prologue and looks like a rider capable of keeping up with the sprinters in the sprints. He also has a good amount of hill to be able to stay with the hill sprinters in the fourth stage. He’ll be a real threat in the general classification. He will have five supporting lead outs to help him achieve his maximum performance. Grasmaaijer will have a good chance at top nine in every stage, and should be able to achieve a good position in the general classification.
  
   BennysBadekar
  Manager Benny has brought four time trial riders to this tour. One of them in particular might have an outside chance in the general classification. This rider is Gracjan Sowa. He’s got good ability in hill, which will help in the fourth stage, where there might be time gaps for the top riders. It will be hard though, with not a lot of support to help him, but after his sixth place in the general classification at Giro di Montelbano earlier in the season, he might be able to surprise us. Stage one will be their main goal.
  
   V02maXXers
  
  This team has had a great season so far, and most of that is due to their rider Folkert Gerrits. This hill sprinter has won the Lappi Sea GP classic, the Rotterdam Classic and the sprinting classification at Perm Tour. He also got second in the sprinting classification at Norway Tour, so he certainly knows how to sprint! Supporting him will be three lead outs and two hill team mates. He will be a big favorite for the fourth stage and shouldn’t do too badly in the flat sprints.
  
   Team AEK
  
  Next to sign up was manager Adilson Silva. He’s brought a strong squad of sprinters. I don’t think they have an outright general classification captain, because a few of them could do quite well. I think the decision will be made after the first stage. Personally the captaincy will be fought for between Einvarður Unnsteinnsson and Felix Lally. Both should do a good job in the prologue and the flat road sprints will be there best chance for results.
  
   Rigana
  
  Lean Rosenberg will captain Rigana, hopefully to a few results. Currently this team hasn’t had a result since the division one cobble tour Tweedaagse van Antwerpen! But with Rosenberg as captain and five lead outs to support him, he’ll have a great chance to change the current situation of the team. Having average time trial ability will help him in the prologue and should give in a good chance of getting into the top nine in the general classification.
  
   Hommerts Cycling Team
  
  Another time trial orientated team has entered the tour. And this team certainly has a great chance of picking up the win in the first stage. But only a couple of them might be picked as captain for the sprints. Zlako Chaloupka and Yrjänä Sistonen are the two riders in question. Whoever finishes higher in the time trial will be captain in the sprint stages. As stated before, this team will want to win the prologue.
  
   CK Hymer
  
  Like the previous team, this one will want to do well with their time trial rider. He’s twenty nine year old Helmer Sahlin. He’s achieved an eighth place in the general classification at Essex Tour this season and will want to perform well in the prologue. He’ll go to the Netherlands with two other time trial riders and three other lead outs. The prologue will be there top priority.
  
   Team Majones
  
  And you’ll never guess what, another time trial squad is racing in the tour. This team has brought four time trial riders and two water bottle boys. A couple of them might have a chance at a top nine in the general classification with their average (Sallai János) and small (Philip Wampach) abilities in hill. But there main goal will be the prologue.
  
   Megaman
  
  Sorry, I thought that was the last of them, but another one just popped up out of nowhere! Another six time trial riders signed up for this team. It’s a mix of experience and youth, but I don’t think they’ll have much of a chance in the general classification. Rafaello Siculo is there youngest rider and might have a good chance in the prologue if he reaches top form.
  
   PEKAC B
  
  This sprinting team has risen through the ranks this season, but in a big way! Their main captain Bohuslav Racko, won’t be here, as we suppose he’s re top forming. Cyrus Wyatt will be captaining the team in the sprint stages. He’ll have five lead outs helping him to the line and Wyatt himself hasn’t got too a bad record in tour sprint stages. He should do well in stages five and six.
  
   mikai
  
  One of the best Dutch sprinters in the game is at this tour. His name is Jan-Peter Werff and he’ll want to win stages. Theoretically, he’ll have a good chance of this, since he’ll have five lead outs to support him in the tour and has just reached level six experience. Some noteworthy results this season have been the classic win in Grasse – Toulon and a fourth place at the classic Mito – Tokyo. Generally, he’ll want to do well in all the sprint stages, but he should dominate stage three.
  
   Club Ciclista Riaza
  
  Captaining this team will be Cuartio Canas. He’ll have for support a time trial rider, a hiller and three lead outs. He’s only got one result so far this season, being a third place in the classic Norwich-London. One of his lead outs might captain the hill sprint. Rico Alday quite suits the fourth stage and he’s also had a second place finish in a classic this season (Vejle-København). This team should pick up some points and money,

but I think it’ll be hard for them to get results here.
  
   Team airik
  
  Englishman Adrien Gosselin looks like he’ll be captaining the team in this tour. He isn’t time trial centered and he isn’t the best sprinter in the pack, but he has got an average stat in hill ability and has picked up a few results and has over five hundred OCM points. He’ll have a few good lead outs and a couple of water bottle carriers. He should be able to get a few top nines and maybe a good result in the hill sprint.
  
   NightmareChaos
  
  Manager Finz’s one goal was to sign up for the tour and he’s accomplished it. So he’s already happy, doesn’t really matter what happens in the tour. He’s brought Korney Agliullin in an attempt to win the fourth stage, but with only one other trained rider to support him, it might be a bit difficult (Especially when the one trained rider is a cobbler). Truly, I think Finz just wanted to be in the pre tour party…
  
   Luveaucek
  
  Last season’s runner up and the season before that’s winner, Rudolf Matejka is back and is already in top form! He’s got a truly an amazing record at this tour. He’s already picked up twenty results in only three seasons and he’s still only twenty five! If truth be told, he’s got an amazing record in tours alone. He’s picked up only seven results outside of tours and twenty six results inside of tours. Trying to help him to more results here will be five good lead outs, so he’s got a real good chance again.
  
   Cykelmyggen
  
  This team, captained by Antonio Gabbrielli, were the last to enter. He’s already won the sprinting classification at Norway Tour this season and he’s won the Helsinki GP Mini classic. He’ll have five very good lead outs to help him try and get good results in this tour. He’s one of the best sprinters in the game, so he’s got a good chance at getting results here, and if the prologue goes ok, he’ll have a good chance in the general classification as well.
  
  At the press conference
  
  Seeds2 PR Manager Thomas Eudy kindly gave his statement, “After only 6 weeks into their first season the Belgian/Scottish cooperative are about to rip the sprinters field apart. With the young Swin at the helm a top 3 in the GC and youth category is hoped for. The teams only regret is that the expensive fast training of 3 x 210 sprinters in only 5 weeks has come at the cost of a top Lo support team due to all other riders being sold to fund their training. Hopefully next year we will be ready with top lead outs and after Swin maxes a TT centre to finish him off”
  
  Next to answer was Andreas, manager of ABK, keeping it short and sweet, “I hope to get a result on the prologue and hopefully that will also give a result in the GC. In the sprint stages we will see what happens”
  
  The manager from Vientiane Cycling, Pha That Luang, said “To be honest I have no real expectations. Shuba disappointed me in Australia, but got a top-9 in every stage there. In Nederlandse he has the possibilities to get a top-9 in every stage as well, but it will be hard. Hopefully I will get around 2 top-9s and with a bit of luck we might end up in the top-9 in GC then”
  
  The spokesman for blast wasn’t available for the conference. If you see him, tell him that his manager is working, as should he!
  
  No one from Stroopwafel was there either! Maybe no one is used to the concept of a conference.
  
  Mr Benny, manager of BennysBadekar wasn’t in a very talkative mood, “I can't muster the enthusiasm to give a quote. My captain will be the one who finishes best in the prologue”
  
  Lamme Frans, manager of V02maXXers, who has wrote a few previews himself, gave this statement, “Team V02maXXers joined to play with the big boys. Primarily for fun, experience and hopefully some money and points. Folkert Gerrits will lead the squad. He's accompanied by two hill helpers and three leadouts. No high expectations for this tour, except for the hilly stage. Maybe a result is a possibility. The team is probably not good enough to play a role in the sprints; in this elite sprinting field”
  
  Team AEK had this to say, “Got top 9 in last 2 editions, but without top form, we have no real expectations this season. Just hoping to get some results, especially on stage 3, Hengelo – Eindhoven which suits our team very well. When it comes to the GC, Matejka will be number 1 again”
  
  Grant Pedler, manager of Rigana, said “Rosenberg in tf will be captain. Last year he failed in the prologue but got a 1st 2nd and 3rd in the sprint stages. Going for the GC. The team, however, is in its worst slump in many seasons”
  
  Justin, the manager of Hommerts Cycling Team gave the following statement, “I'm starting with 2 captains; Sistonen and Chaloupka. The one who does better in the prologue will be the captain for the sprint stages. Unfortunately no TF for either of them. And if Chaloupka does well in the prologue he also might go for the YC. It's hard to point out a big favorite; think the riders are pretty equal. So there's not a rider from which I say he's the favorite to win. But if he have to bet, and I will in the IBIAB. I’d probably go for a Lean Rosenberg in TF. But have to wait and see who will actually hit TF”
  
  The next team to give their answer was CK Hymer, saying that “I am going for the TT stage. Hopefully Sahlin will do a good one and also survive the hill stage. My goal is to get Sahlin in top 10 in the general classification”
  
  Team Majones were another team missing from the press conference. I can’t why though; there was free beer and food….
  
  Spanish team Megaman kindly gave their statement, “I think about having a good Prologue with all my TTers and then try to solve a decent general classification with the one that gets the best result in the first stage. Also I have a quite good young rider that maybe could have good results in the young classification”
  
  I’m afraid the manager of PEKAC B is still celebrating signing up for both GT and Nederlandse.
  
  The last Dutch manager, mikai, whose team is also called mikai, had this to say, “Jan Peter will be our captain. We hope to get a top 9 in stage 2, 3 and 5 with Jan Peter. On stage 4 Edouard will be also captain, that is not a stage for Jan Peter. No Topform for Edouard or Jan Peter. I think there will be much TF riders, so no expectations for GC. Hope to do better than last year with Jan Peter: stage 2 (6th), stage 3 (10h) and stage 5 (15th)”
  
  The manager of Club Ciclista Riaza said, “Well, I don't have high expectations for my team, as NT was not supposed to be part of our calendar. It could be great to get some cash and have fun as much as possible”
  
  The next to speak was Team airik manager airik, who stated “My expectations is to just get some money out of it. A top 9 in gc is unrealistic and I'm hoping for a two or more top 9 during the tour”
  
  Finz, manager of NightmareChaos, bought a few bottles of Russian vodka thinking it was a pre tour party. We managed to get him to give us a statement after agreeing that it would turn into a party after the statements were done. “I want to win the Hill stage and gain enough seconds that I win the tour. Preparation has been perfect and we are well equipped. Looking at the competition, we can conclude, there is none. Maybe Luveaucek”
  
  Wryen Luveau, who manages Luveaucek, stated the following, “I feel we have a solid line-up for this seasons mad-dash, and I have high confidence in the team. There are many great riders and teams, and I hope my squad can adapt to the inevitable challenges it will face. I just hope all the riders finish safely, which is slightly unrealistic”
  
  Finally, the late comers to the tour arrived at the conference. Team Cykelmyggen had the following to say, “Competing in this tour has been the team goal for this season, so we are very happy to have made it. Antonio is our captain and he'll be in the best shape possible. With a decent LO train our goal will be a top3 in GC and a reserved spot for next season. It will be tough though since there are many strong competitors for the podium. Rudolf Matejka has shown what he's capable of in this tour and therefor is my favorite with Leon Rosenberg, Gerrit grasmaaijer and Antonio as outsiders.”
  
  Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone in the tour!