The wildcards of the Bayern Rundfahrt have been taken: After twelve Pro and ProConti teams had been confirmed to start, the organizers of Germany's most important stage race invited seven more teams. In addition to the Polish team CCC Polsat and the Spanish team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, five German Conti teams will also be given a start in the Bayern Rundfahrt, which takes place from May 27th to June 1st.
In addition to Team Stuttgart, which we accompany as media partner, the teams LKT-Team Brandenburg, rad-net Rose, Stölting and Heizomat will also be at the start in Bavaria. "The selection was not easy for us, especially in view of the large number of applications from top-class teams. But as the highest-ranking stage race in Germany, we naturally attach great importance to giving German teams with young riders a chance.”, says Hartmut Bölts, the sporting director of the tour.
The Bavarian team Heizomat can build on the home advantage in the race. "The team has always impressed with an attractive and offensive style of driving at the Bayern Rundfahrt in recent years, despite their very young squad.", according to Bölts. "So it makes sense to consider this team again."
Team Stölting from Gelsenkirchen with captain Silvio Herklotz, the reigning German U23 champion, who is supported by Australian world champion and Olympic champion Luke Roberts as an experienced racing driver, made a name for itself last year as the strongest of the German Continental teams. The rad-net Rose team was able to surprise at its first appearance in Bavaria in 2013 by taking over the blue jersey of the best sprinter right at the start of the Bayern Rundfahrt.
Team Stuttgart and LKT-Team Brandenburg are celebrating their debut at the Bayern Rundfahrt this year. In recent years, the LKT-Team Brandenburg has provided the winners of the Rad-Bundesliga and recently convinced with some good results in international races. With Sebastian Deckert and Julian Schulze, there are also two strong Bavarian drivers in the Brandenburg team. Team Stuttgart has purchased a Conti license for the first time this season and has strengthened itself accordingly at the beginning of the year. At the classic Around Cologne the team, which includes the former professional cyclist Olaf Pollack as sport director in its ranks, was the best Continental team in sixth place.
The WorldTour teams Sky, Trek, Katusha, FDJ.fr, Garmin Sharp, Orica GreenEdge, Ag2R-La Mondiale and Giant-Shimano and the ProConti teams NetApp-Endura, IAM, Bretagne-Séché Environnement have already started a few weeks ago and MTN-Qhubeka at the Bayern Rundfahrt.
This year, the Bayern Rundfahrt leads from Vilshofen via Freilassing, Reit im Winkl, Grassau, Neusäß and Wassertrüdingen am Hesselberg to Nuremberg. A total of 785,6 kilometers are on the program for the five stages from eastern Bavaria via the Chiemgau to Central Franconia. A preliminary decision in the fight for the overall victory of the race, which is held under the patronage of Minister of State Joachim Herrmann, is already expected when the mountain finishes as part of the queen's stage on the Winklmoos-Alm. The individual time trial on the penultimate day of the tour in Wassertrüdingen is of similar importance.