Arndt and Walscheid to lead the line at WorldTour race
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Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin) wins stage 21
Zico Waeytens in his shades(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Max Walscheid (Team Giant-Alpecin)(Image credit: Team Giant-Alpecin)
Koen de Kort talks to Dutch media NOS(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Giant-Alpecin head to the 2016 Tour de Pologne with its focus on winning sprints with Giro d'Italia stage winner Nikias Arndt and Max Walscheid. The team won the first stage of the WorldTour race last year with Marcel Kittel who is now riding for Etixx-Quick Step and is aiming to match its haul at the 73rd edition.
Arndt, 24, enjoyed a maiden grand tour win on the final stage of the Giro in Torino following the disqualification of Giacomo Nizzolo following several top results earlier in the race and at the Tour de Yorkshire, while Walscheid, who was involved in January's training ride accident, is aiming for a good result in his WorldTour race debut.
Waeytens, also 24, claimed his maiden professional win at the Baloise Belgium Tour in May and can also be called upon for a fast finish.
Giant-Alpecin's team also contains key lead-out riders Bert De Backer, Koen De Kort and Tom Stamsnijder and Zico Waeytens.
"We are aiming for the sprints with possibilities for more than one rider, such as Nikias and Max. They are both in good form at the moment with the latter taking a silver medal at the German national championships. With Bert, Koen, Tom and Zico we have a strong lead-out," coach Morten Bennekou said
With the team's main objective is the sprint stages, Bennekou added Tobias Ludvigsson is an option for the mountain stages.
"On top of that, we are ready to take opportunities as they come and on the hillier stages we will look to profit from the breakaway possibilities with Tobias. So we will focus on day results rather than the general classification," he added of the rider who enjoyed a stint in the best young rider jersey at the Giro d'Italia in May.
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German Johannes Fröhlinger completes the roster for the seven-stage race from July 12-18.
As revealed by Cyclingnews, Giant-Alpecin are set to announce a new sponsor for 2017 and beyond on the first Tour de rest day on July 11, the day before the Tour de Polgone begins with a 138km stage from Radzymin to Warszawa.
Giant-Alpecin for the 2016 Tour de Pologne: Nikias Arndt (Ger), Bert De Backer (Bel), Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger), Koen De Kort (Ned), Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe), Tom Stamsnijder (Ned), Zico Waeytens (Bel) and Max Walscheid (Ger).
