Gerolsteiner wants stage win in Murcia

German team Gerolsteiner has the firm intention of achieving a stage victory in the upcoming Vuelta a Murcia. Starting March 1, the Spanish stage race is a perfect opportunity, according to directeur sportif Udo Bölts, for one of his riders to hop on the podium.

"It's a realistic goal," Bölts said. "We have the candidates here to achieve it, and the boys are motivated. Michael Rich could pull it off in the time trial on Friday, or Heinrich Haussler and Peter Wrolich could do it in the sprint of a breakaway."

Meanwhile, Bölts doesn't think that a Gerolsteiner rider will be up for an overall podium placing, although two complete riders, Markus Fothen and Georg Totschnig, are also participating. "Both of them rode well in the Clasica de Almeria on Sunday, which was their first race this season," Bölts continued. "But their form isn't at a level yet where they could really be up front."

Gerolsteiner will line up the following riders at the Vuelta a Murcia: Markus Fothen, Thomas Fothen, Heinrich Haussler, Michael Rich, Marcel Strauss, Georg Totschnig, Peter Wrolich and Beat Zberg.