(written by Eric of trackstah07)
  
   Post-Prologue Preview: Teams & Tactics
  
  Eagerly awaited and dubbed “the first true lower-division tour”, the Monte Rosa may become a springboard that launches climbing teams into Division 2 and, perhaps more importantly, the OCM spotlight. With the first-stage Bern Prologue now in the rear-view mirror, here is a brief look at what we can expect from the teams for the rest of the tour:
  
   ABK – 169th in OCM
  
  Sprinting team ABK comes to the Monte Rosa Tour touting Young Gun Lean Anhfeldt-Mollerup. The 24 year-old finished a stellar second-place in the Bern Prologue and currently sits just two seconds back in the GC heading into Stage 2. Not expected to factor into the final GC standings, Mollerup may attempt to grab the leader’s jersey briefly before setting his sights on a Stage 5 win in Geneva.
  Tour Prediction – Stage 5 victory for Mollerup
  
   Bergeforsen cycling – 204th in OCM
  
  Bergeforsen cycling’s hopes and dreams fall on the shoulders of one man: Sven-Olof Gråberg. While critics argue that the Swedish all-rounder is a sketchy descender, Gråberg’s pure climbing ability and sneaky sprinting skills make him one of the most explosive riders in the peloton. Currently sitting in tenth place, Gråberg will be a man to keep an eye on if he is still in the lead group heading up to the summit of Monte Rosa.
  Top 12 GC for Gråberg
  
   Burning Bushes – 167th in OCM
  
  Burning Bushes, OCM’s highest-ranked Tajik team, find themselves poised for an uphill battle following a 38th place Prologue finish for captain Stepan Grosheva. Grosheva, a brilliant climber, hopes to figure prominently in the final GC and YC standings. Many speculate that the 24 year-old will need to attack on the Monte Rosa to try to take time on GC and YC rival Vasco Assis.
  Top 3 YC for Grosheva
  
   Cuevas team – 136th in OCM
  
  Cuevas team will go down in OCM history as the first team ever to lead the Monte Rosa Tour. Spaniard Inocente Castaneda emphatically seized the leader’s jersey with an incredible performance in the Bern Prologue. The 26 year-old from Madrid moved up to 85th in the world rankings with his most recent victory. Castaneda will try to build a huge lead on hilly Stage 2 as he looks to lead the tour from start to finish.
  Top 5 GC for Castaneda
  
   deadalus – 117th in OCM
  
  deadalus suffered the first injury in Monte Rosa history, as Theodor Fogh clipped a curb near the end of the Bern Prologue and broke his collarbone. The team will certainly miss him on stages 2 and 5, but only a fool would discount Quennel La Bouville for Stage 2. Puncheur La Bouville and sprinter Pierre Nieuwendijk will look to capture stage victories for deadalus. The duo finished 110th and 111th in the Prologue.
  Stage 2 victory for La Bouville
  
   Flappende Fietsers – 144th in OCM
  
  Flappende Fietsers GC hopeful Guus Holst finds himself in an unenviable position after a 47th place finish in the Bern Prologue. Fortunately, he has shown so far this season that he has the form and ability to win mountain stages. The 26 year-old Dutchman has gathered two victories in the season’s first three weeks and has literally nowhere to go from here but up.
  Top 12 GC for Holst
  
  

Joetie – 148th in OCM
  
  Joetie comes to Switzerland led by Danish journeyman Jonatan Louring. Louring, currently 30th, has not experienced any Division 3 success, but he did finish second in the Division 4 AC Oporto last season, getting the better of Guus Holst, Stepan Grosheva, and several other noteworthy climbers. The team, with an unusual mix of sprinters, climbers, cobblers, and time triallists appears to be competing in the tour simply for the experience.
  Top 25 GC for Louring
  
   Moonraker – 114th in OCM
  
  Moonraker’s Vance Varndell will be aiming for a sprint victory on Stage 5. Varndell has three top-5 stage finishes in the season’s first three weeks, but he is yet to get the signature victory he desires. With only one career wins above Division 7, Varndell must thirst for a taste of big-race glory. With a quality lead-out by Alan Poston, Varndell could finally get that signature win. Varndell showed good form in the Bern Prologue, finishing 22nd.
  Stage 5 Top 3 finish for Varndell
  
   mortenryt – 134th in OCM
  
  mortenryt sits nicely in sixth place with captain Ejvind Nørregaard after Stage 1. Nørregaard, the impressive technical sprinter who defeated Vance Varndell to win
  Malmö - Skaane earlier this season, has shown a small amount of climbing ability, so a good Stage 2 performance could have him situated high enough in the GC that the mountains don’t hurt him too badly.
  Top 15 for Nørregaard
  
   Oekiewakkie – 156th in OCM
  
  It appears as though Oekiewakkie has a big decision to make after one day of the tour. Anticipated captain Lowie van Buyten is down in 40th position overall, while 25 year-old teammate Boudewijn Terhorst is seated nicely in 13th position. Who will be captain from here to Geneva? Only time will tell. Look for an impressive ride from van Buyten tomorrow to get back in contention.
  Top 9 GC for van Buyten
  
   Pink Piyama – 116th in OCM
  
  Pink Piyama’s star rider, Bazyli Ambroziak, sits in 21st place after the Prologue. The man ranked 76th in the world is renowned for his ability to finish respectably in sprinting races as well as climbing races. Expect to see him at or near the front of the race for the rest of the tour. The 25 year-old from Poland is a man to look out for in the GC as well as in the YC. His climbing help is not the best, but he will likely still find some way to be at the front.
  Top 9 GC, Top 3 YC for Ambroziak
  
   Planet Bikes – 154th in OCM
  
  Planet Bikes comes to the tour with a rider very similar to Bazyli Ambroziak: Ingeman Kloster. Another guy who says before races that he “does not care” about the profiles and “just tries to compete, no matter what the odds,” Kloster put in a very nice time trial on the tour’s opening day and sits fifth overall in the GC, just four seconds back from Castaneda. Expect big things in the upcoming days.
  Top 9 GC for Kloster
  
   PS SWE – 153rd in OCM
  
  PS SWE hopes Ola Elofsson has what it takes to conquer the Swiss Alps for the Swedes. Built a bit in the mold of fellow Swede, Sven-Olof Gråberg, Elofsson may surprise some people in the sprints and looks set to contest in the climbs after winning three climbing races last season. Elofsson sits in a manageable 16th position after the Prologue, just fifteen seconds behind the leader.
  Top 9 GC for

Elofsson
  
   redop – 126th in OCM
  
  redop’s immensely talented 24 year-old all-rounder, Vasco Assis, put in a great ride in the Prologue to put himself third in the overall standings after one day. Named a Young Gun before the season and very much in the same mould as Susumu Miyazaki, Assis seemingly has all the tools necessary to become a great young tour rider right away. The hilly sprint of Stage 2 seems well-suited to his abilities, but the mountain stages may present a major challenge for the young GC/YC hopeful.
  YC victory and Top 5 GC for Assis
  
   rsca4ever – 186th in OCM
  
  rsca4ever does not appear to have a GC hopeful, but who knows? Maybe young Wallace Mardle has something hiding up his sleeve. Known as a pure time triallist, Mardle finished in fourth position in the Prologue, high up in the overall standings as was expected. What he might be able to bring to the table as a climber is really anyone’s guess. Mardle may give the YC a serious shot and surprise us all.
  Top 9 YC for Mardle
  
   scuppernong – 120th in OCM
  
  scuppernong is undoubtedly the best-known team in the inaugural Monte Rosa Tour. After parting ways with climbing legend Truman Woodson late last season, scuppernong dropped in the OCM rankings, just in time for Gradient Levellers signee Alder Talcott to give the Monte Rosa a shot. Talcott will be a marked man because of his Division 1 pedigree, but he has the talent, experience, and teammates to handle the pressure admirably.
  Top 5 GC for Talcott
  
   Sparkjop – 112th in OCM
  
  Sparkjop’s Kristen Vatne sits solidly in 12th place after the Prologue, 14 seconds behind Castaneda. Another man with a solid crew of experienced domestiques, Vatne is an experienced and accomplished Division 2 and 3 rider with more than 20 results at this level. Vatne won Graz Climbs ahead of Alder Talcott two weeks ago and looks poised for a solid tour.
  Top 9 GC for Elofsson
  
   sprint4live – 177th in OCM
  
  sprint4live may surprise competitors and fans alike at this year’s tour, simply due to the fact that the team with such a name has a talented climber. American Sherard Soper sits in 24th place after a decent Prologue. Very inexperienced beyond Division 7, Monte Rosa will likely serve as a learning curve for Soper, who is only in his second season in OCM. Ranked 1675th in the world, Soper’s low expectations may work in his favor.
  Top 20 GC for Soper
  
   trackstah07 – 170th in OCM
  
  trackstah07 has brought the dynamic downhill duo of Erskine Pettis and Kirk Russel to the uphill Monte Rosa Tour. Pettis surprised everyone, including himself, with an 8th place finish in the Prologue (“I expected top 40, but certainly not top 10”), while Russel finished an equally surprising 96th overall. If Russel can find better form for the remainder of the tour, he may be able to help Pettis to a podium finish.
  Top 5 GC finish for Pettis
  
   YCO – 194th in OCM
  
  Canadian team YCO comes to the tour with captain Kenway Royall as well as sprinter Frank Croxford. While Royall, currently 11th, will hope for a top 9 GC finish, Croxford will go stage hunting on the tour’s final day. Expect Royall to put together a solid if unspectacular tour. Royall is the ultimate sleeper pick for the betting man. He is not flashy, but he has two career races for his national team as well a lot of experience as team captain.
  Top 15 GC for Royall