The second Craft Bike Trans Germany will start Sunday, June 1 in Erbach im Odenwald. After seven stages, about 250 teams of two are expected to reach this year's finish town health resort Seiffen on June 7.
Among the men's favorites are two biathletes who've had plenty of success on skis and with their rifles. Andreas Birnbacher and Michael Greis will try to make it with all other athletes to health resort Seiffen (June 7th), which is this year’s finish town. The two will get to see if they can race their bikes as well as they can ski.
On the women's side, the main contenders are Team Rocky Mountain with Alison Sydor and Pia Sundstedt. In addition, Kerstin Brachtendorf will start with her partner from France Danièle Troesch as Team Fiat-Rotwild.
Brothers Ralph and Timo Berner of Team Erbach im Odenwald will take on last year's masters' category winners, Milan Spolc and Robert Novotny of Team Sachsenmasters, who won all eight stages.
This year's race will follow a more eastern route from Erbach im Odenwald to Seiffen in the Erz Mountains. The relocation came in response to traffic regulations. The route change has also resulted in an event one day shorter than in 2007.
TransGermany 2008
Sunday, June 1: Stage 1 - Erbach to Frammersbach
Monday, June 2: Stage 2 - Frammersbach to Bischofsheim
Tuesday, June 3: Stage 3 - Bischofsheim to Oberhof
Wednesday, June 4: Stage 4 - Oberhof to Bad Steben
Thursday, June 5: Stage 5 - Bad Steben to Schoeneck
Friday, June 6: Stage 6 - Schoeneck to Oberwiesenthal
Saturday, June 7: Stage 7 - Oberwiesenthal to Seiffen
