Dortmund: 25/05/2009

The Tour de France preparations for Team MILRAM are heading into their final stage. Seven members of the pre-selected MILRAM Tour team will be at the start of the Bayern Rundfahrt (May 27-31/ UCI Category 2.HC) this coming Wednesday in Kelheim. In addition to the German ProTour team’s two captains, Linus Gerdemann and Gerald Ciolek, the squad features defending champion Christian Knees, two-time German national champion Fabian Wegmann, and Johannes Fröhlinger, as five German MILRAM riders for the race. In addition, Directeur Sportif Christian Henn will look to Slovak Peter Velits and Austrian Peter Wrolich on the five stages over 740 kilometers.

Christian Knees - the overall GC winner 2008 - Photo: Roth

“The important thing is to do well as a team and to go for the win,” said MILRAM all rounder Christian Knees. “The team has the quality to do it. We will do all we can to defend my title from last year. I think I have good chances.”

“The Bayern Rundfaht is the most important stage race in Germany this year, so we go into it absolutely motivated,” said MILRAM captain Linus Gerdemann. “The race will surely be a very tactical one but we have a strong team at the start. I think that a win in this important German race will be good for us. Especially in view of the upcoming races.”

For the Team MILRAM riders, the task at the 30th edition of the Bavarian stage race is to repeat the gala appearance from last year. The German ProTour team won not only the overall title with Christian Knees, but also had third place with Niki Terpstra, who was also best young rider. MILRAM Captain Gerald Ciolek also has good memories of last year’s race, as the 22-year-old, then riding for Team Highroad, won two stages and the sprint ranking.

The Team MILRAM line-up:
Gerald Ciolek (GER/Ermatingen,SUI), Johannes Fröhlinger (GER/Freiburg), Linus Gerdemann (GER/Kreuzlingen,SUI), Christian Knees (GER/Euskirchen), Peter Velits (SVK/Riemst,BEL), Fabian Wegmann (GER/Freiburg), Peter Wrolich (AUT, Klagenfurt)

Directeur Sportif: Christian Henn (GER)

The stages 2009:
27. May, 1. Stage: Kelheim – Mühlheim a. Inn 196 km
28. May, 2. Stage: Mühlheim a. Inn – Ruhpolding 174 km
29. May, 3. Stage: Bad Aibling – Schrobenhausen 178 km
30. May, 4. Stage: Friedberg – Friedberg (EZF) 26 km
31. May, 5. Stage: Friedberg – Gunzenhausen 166 km