Written by Knotts of California Mist
It took longer than expected, but the organisers of the division 3 tour Giro di Montelbano finally received official notice from 20 teams that they were signing up for the 3 stage race in Italy. Many hillers, sprinters and timetriallers will be on the start line hoping for success around the town of Montelbano.
The race was designed to pay homage to Sandro Montelbano (Matrix Team) who dominated Cymru and Essex tours for a number of years. The route of the tour is much the same as these, and this, the 5th running of the race will be the toughest battle yet for the pink (GC) jersey.
Gradient Levellers
The very experienced English team is making a fast comeback up the ranks after taking a small break away. They bring Samuel Trujillo to Italy as captain, and a strong team mixed with hilly sprinters and timetriallers for support. Trujillo himself, is a former winner of Cymru Taith YC, but will be hoping to add this GC jersey to his palmares.
Snooman
This team have arguably the best timetrialler in the race in American Ernie Ostrowski. He lacks real hill ability, and any support so if he is to get a high place in GC will definitely need to make the most of his power against the clock.
Andeby
Another team bringing timetriallers to Italy, is this Norwegian outfit. Johan Skogstad and Steen Mouritsen will be hoping for a good clear ride on stage 2, and will be looking to make up time. They will certainly rise a lot of places in the GC but will they be able to make up enough.
BCTeam
The first Italian team to register for the 5th edition of this race bring Edoardo Giofriola as captain. He is a flatroad and technical sprinter with some hill ability which will help him on the opening stage. We don’t see him wining a stage, but if he can stay with the hill contenders on day 1 and put in a good time on day 2 he can be right up there.
Touring Titans
Another team putting all their money on the timetrial. The English squad bring 3 strong riders with them, with maybe the best being 23 year old Frenchman, Josue Jacquemin. Will the management be prepared to give him the support as he’s the only non-national rider in the team.
LFC Rado Team
The sole representation from Poland comes with a team of sprinters. Ethiopian Yonas Yehualashet is the team leader for the final sprint, and will have all his leadouts working. On the hill stage they will be hoping for a breakaway to stay away and a rest during the timetrial.
Team Albatros
This team brings a contender for | | the opening and the final stage. Age Lindstrom is a superb hill sprinter, and brings a good team with him as well. His lack of any TT ability will end any chance of a GC result however. If the team leaves Italy without a stage podium the management will be asking questions.
radu
A team from Slovakia were next to announce their intention to join the race and bring a good hiller and support for him. Matej Zosac has a 9th place finish at the world championships to his name, but never done anything major in tours. This is probably due to his slightly inferior TT ability compared to other overall contenders. He can get something here though if things go his way.
squadra sora
Scotsman Hunter Samuels arrives which much expectation on his young shoulders. He is the unrivalled leader of this Belgian outfit, and can compete with the very best in hill sprints. He has good hill support; however an injured teammate may significantly affect the team’s power to control the peloton.
Optimus Prime
Young American Max Falco leads the German charge in Italy this year. The brilliant young hiller has 3 excellent helpers for the opening stage, and with decent flatroad ability can do a decent time against the clock. If he leads after day 1, he will know what he needs to do to win the tour. A lack of experience maybe, but youthful exuberance could see him to wearing pink at the end. At worst, we expect to see him wearing green after the 1st stage.
TJ Banik OKD
The main GC threat for the home fans will come from Bohuslav Racko. It is rumoured the Czech rider will arrive in top form, and this makes him a massive contender for the overall prize. A decent hiller and sprinter, and has shown in the past can put in a solid time when he’s alone on his bike. Throughout his career he has much success in tours with plenty of podiums, will he finally wear a jersey. We think he can.
Cycling Nieuwegein
Thibault Caers arrives in form, but knows it will be very tough for him to do much. A result in the TT is likely, but we don’t feel they will get much more than that. It is likely they will put riders in a breakaway on the other 2 stages.
Sons of the Desert
A strong squad is next, and a team which again will be targeting the opening. Conor Whatmore is leading them and wants the opening stage. Even if he takes the jersey here, he will find it very tough to hold it all the way to the finish. With no timetrial ability at all in the team any chance of an overall result is gone.
En trailer med vin
The team from Norway contains a mix of hillers and sprinters, and have a real chance of
| | getting a couple of stage results. Unlike many we have mentioned so far, they also have a good chance of a decent result in GC. This will depend on if they give the leadership of the team to Per Olsen. A solid hiller and decent timetrialler when compared to the other race favourites.
Scillian
The final English team entered comes with a mix of sprinters, a hiller and a timetrialer. The sprinters will try and save their legs for the final, which will mean Ferry Walregt will be all alone for much of stage 1. Having to do all the work by himself may be a deciding factor for him. Al Lenard will ride solo and hope for a result in stage 2.
Pomada
The other Slovakian team in the race contains a hiller, 3 sprinters and 2 youngsters. Alojzy Drozd will be hoping for a decent result in the hilly stage, but doing it on his own means it’s unlikely. If this team is to get a result from Italy it will have to come in the final day through Cobus Rijkaard.
Super Velo
Next in is last year’s 3rd place finisher Brooke Wilbur. The sprinter brings his much improved hill support with him to this year’s edition of the race, and will be hoping to continue surprising everyone with his hill ability. We expect him to be up there again come the end of the race. They also have young Croatian Tomislav Andrijevic who will challenge for the youth jersey.
California Mist
Alan Klostergard makes the defence of his title with his new team from America. The team themselves have never been to Italy before, but have competed successfully in Cymru and Essex for the last few seasons so have experience in this sort of race. Klostergard will be in top form, but is he too old to successfully defend his championship? He will need the support of his teammates to get him through the hills if he is to wear pink again.
Team EksilFG
The best team from the small nation the Faroe Islands was the penultimate team to enter the race. The national champion Hafsteinn Sveinlaugursson will be showing his colours on the world stage and will be targeting the final sprint. With his team behind him, he can win this stage, and can stay with the hillers on stage 1. It’s just come too soon for him, as he hasn’t visited the wind tunnel yet in his young career.
Eriknogwat
The final team in contains last season’s runner up, and he’s ready to set the record straight. Jozua Bodde should have won last year, and this season he is more determined than ever. Top form and a solid team behind him make this great rider the man to beat for the GC on this #5 edition of the Giro. He’s perhaps the closest rider to Montelbano in riding type and style, and as a result would be a fitting champion.
Good luck to all
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