Cycling: This year's edition of the Bayern Tour starts tomorrow in Vilshofen. Last year's winner Adriano Malori however, will not be at the start. His new team Movistar is currently using him at the Giro d'Italia. Regardless of this, the most important stage race in the Republic can come up with a strong field of riders and interesting route profiles again this year. We look ahead to the tour.
The field of drivers is led by the two big favourites Geraint Thomas (Sky), who has already won the tour, and Linus Gerdemann (MTN-Qhubeka), who is celebrating a successful comeback this year and was victorious in Bavaria in 2009. A stage win on the king's stage of the Tour d'Azerbaijan a few days ago shows that he's in the right shape to fight for victory in Bavaria.
You also have to notice the start of the two Trek riders Jens Voigt, overall winner of the Tour 2000, 2001, 2004 and Fabian Cancellara and Gerald Ciolek (MTN-Qhubeka), Romain Bardet (Ag2R La Mondiale), Warren Barguil (Giant Shimano), Heinrich Haussler (ALREADY), Luis Leon Sanchez (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and the NetApp-Endura duo Sam Bennett and Leopold Koenig.
1st stage: Vilshofen – Freilassing | 204,6 kilometers | 28th of May
The first stage between Vilshofen and Freilassing has a few meters in altitude. In the end, however, the sprinters should have the edge. Gerald Ciolek or Heinrich Haussler could celebrate here, but drivers like Sam Bennett, Tino Thömel and Willi Willwohl shouldn't be ignored either.
2nd stage: Freilassing – Reit im Winkl | 164,7 kilometers | May 29th
The king's stage of this year's Bayern Rundfahrt - without a doubt. There will be a preliminary decision here. The pure climbers such as Brice Feillu, Warren Barguil, Thibaut Pinaut, but also the young Silvio Herklotz and Nikodemus Holler will try to take time from Linus Gerdemann, Geraint Thomas and Luis Leon Sanchez, who are rated stronger in the time trial.
3rd stage: Grassau – Neusäß | 233,5 kilometers | 30th May
The longest stage of the tour follows the hardest. So no time to rest. For the leader in the general standings, it is important today to keep the jersey on his shoulders and not waste too much energy. After all, tomorrow is the all-important time trial. Meanwhile, the sprinters will be cheering – if no group gets through. Maybe Jens Voigt will try something again today?
4th stage: Wassertrüdingen – TT | 25,5 kilometers | 31. May
In the fight against the clock, everyone will be looking to Fabian Cancellara. Even if the Swiss will probably have nothing to do with the outcome of the tour, he is the candidate for the day's victory. Linus Gerdemann, Luis Leon Sanchez, Geraint Thomas and Jan Barta also want to have a say. Today will probably be the decision about the tour victory.
5th stage: Wassertrüdingen – Nuremberg | 159,5 kilometers | 01 June
Last year the stage was overshadowed by rain. Heinrich Haussler celebrated in the final. Will he be the fastest again this time? Who knows? Drivers like Gerald Ciolek and Sam Bennett will try to play their cards right on the finish lap in Nuremberg. Nothing should change in the overall standings today.
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Bayern Rundfahrt – start list
[spoiler title=”Trek Factory Racing"]
1. Jens Voigt (GER)
2. Fabian Cancellara (SUI)
3. Stijn Devolder (BEL)
4. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR)
5. Gregory Rast (SUI)
6. Hayden Roulston (NZL)
7. Kristof Vandewalle (BEL)
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[spoiler title=”MTN Qhubeka p/b Samsung"]
11. Gerald Ciolek (GER)
12. Linus Gerdemann (GER)
13. Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU)
14.Louis Meintjes (RSA)
15.Sergio Pardilla (ESP)
16. Andreas Stauff (GER)
17. Jay Thompson (RSA)
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[spoiler title=”Ag2R La Mondiale"]
21. Romain Bardet (FRA)
22. Damien Gaudin (FRA)
23. Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR)
24. Biel Kadri (FRA)
25. Julian Kern (GER)
26. Jean Christoph Peraud (FRA)
27. Christophe Riblon (FRA)
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[spoiler title=”Sky"]
31. Ian Boswell (USA)
32.Joe Dombrowski (USA)
33. Peter Kennaugh (GBR)
34. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR)
35. Christian Knees (GER)
36. Luke Rowe (GBR)
37. Geraint Thomas (GBR)
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[spoiler title=”Katusha"]
41. Pavel Brutt (RUS)
42. Simon Spilak (SLO)
43. Mikhail Ignatyev (RUS)
44.Vladimir Isaychev (RUS)
45. Alexander Kolobnev (RUS)
46. Aleksandr Porsev (RUS)
47. Alexeksei Tsatevich (RUS)
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[spoiler title=”Big Shimano"]
51. Nikias Arndt (GER),
52. Warren Barguil (FRA)
53. Thomas Damuseau (FRA)
54. Johannes Fröhlinger (GER)
55. Chad Haga (USA)
56.Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA)
57.Thomas Peterson (USA)
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[spoiler title=”Wheel Net Rose"]
61. Henning Bommel (GER)
62. Fabian Brintrup (GER)
63. Emanuel Buchmann (GER)
64. Marco Mathis (GER)
65.Moritz Schaffner (GER)
66. Dominic Weinstein (GER)
67.Mario Vogt
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[spoiler title=”I AM"]
71. Stefan Denifl (AUT)
72. Mathias Frank (SUI)
73. Heinrich Haussler (AUS)
74. Dominic Klemme (GER)
75. Roger Kluge (GER)
76.Johann Tschopp (SUI)
77. Marcel Wyss (SUI)
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[spoiler title=”CCC Polsat Polkowice"]
81. Jaroslaw Marycz (POL)
82. Adrian Honkisz (POL)
83. Jacek Morajko
84. Davide Rebellin (ITA)
85. Branislau Samoilau (BLR)
86. Lukasz Owsian (POL)
87. Mateusz Taciak (POL)
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[spoiler title=”LKT Team Brandenburg"]
91. Sebastian Deckert (GER)
92. Jonas Koch (GER)
93. Franz Schiewer (GER)
94. Julian Schulze (GER)
95. Stefan Schaefer (GER)
96.Carl Soballa (GER)
97. Willi Willwohl (GER)
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[spoiler title=”FDJ.fr"]
101. Arnaud Jeannesson (FRA)
102. Matthieu Ladagnous (FRA)
103. Cedric Pineau (FRA)
104. Thibaut Pinot (FRA)
105.Anthony Roux (FRA)
106. Jeremy Roy (FRA)
107. Arthur Vichot (FRA)
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[spoiler title=”NetApp Endura"]
111. Jan Barta (CZE)
112. Cesare Benedetti (ITA)
113. Sam Bennett (IRL)
114. Bartosz Huzarski (POL)
115. Leopold Koenig (CZE)
116. Daniel Schorn (AUT)
117. Michael Schwarzmann (GER)
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[spoiler title=”Garmin Sharp"]
121. Jack Bauer (NZL)
122.Nathan Brown (USA)
123. Lasse Norman Hansen (DEN)
124. Raymond Kreder (NED)
125.Sebastian Langeveld (NED)
126.David Millar (GBR)
127. Dylan van Baarle (NED)
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[spoiler title=”Orica GreenEdge"]
131. Sam Bewley (NZL)
132.Simon Gerrans (AUS)
133.Leigh Howard (AUS)
134. Daryl Impey (RSA)
135. Aidis Kruopis (LTU)
136. Christian Meier (CAN)
137. Simon Yates (GBR)
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[spoiler title=”heizomat"]
141. Jan-Niklas Droste (GER)
142. Alexander Grad (GER)
143. Florence Knauer (GER)
144. Oliver Mattheis (GER)
145. Dario Rapps (GER)
146. Fabian Scromair
147. Johannes Weber (GER)
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[spoiler title=”Brittany Séché Environnement"]
151. Anthony Delaplace (FRA)
152. Brice Feillu (FRA)
153.Florian Guillou (FRA)
154. Arnaud Gerard (FRA)
155. Benoit Jarrier (FRA)
156. Florian Vachon (FRA)
157.Eduardo Sepulveda (ARG)
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[spoiler title=”Caja Rural-Insurance RGA"]
161. David Arroyo Duran (ESP)
162. Marcos Garcia (ESP)
163. Fernando Grijalba (ESP)
164. Luis Mas Bonet (ESP)
165. Heiner Parra (COL)
166. Luis Sanchez Gil (ESP)
167. Davide Viganò (ITA)
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[spoiler title=”Stolting"]
171. Jan Dieteren (GER)
172. Markus Eichler (GER)
173.Silvio Herklotz (GER)
174. Phil Bauhaus (GER)
175. Mirco Saggiorato (SUI)
176.Yuriy Vasyliv (GER)
177.Maximilian Werda (GER)
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[spoiler title=”Team Stuttgart"]
181. Jack Cummings (AUS)
182. Nicodemus Holler (GER)
183. Kai Kautz (GER)
184. Alexander Krieger (GER)
185. Tino Thömel (GER)
186. Max Walsleben (GER)
187. Marcel Weber (GER)
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