The Trek classics roster is back in action in this week's Bayern Rundfahrt but the team has lined up in the German event with minimal expectations. Yesterday they failed to play a role in the queen stage.

The first stage may have been predominately flat, but it was raced almost completely in the rain. And yesterday, the queen stage of the five-day Tour of Bavaria, included steep climbs with the final ascent a leg-searing uphill finish that made an unpleasant and merciless return to racing for the Classics’ team that is looking to revive top form. And, again, it rained.

“This is a race to prepare the Classsics’ team for the second part of the season," sports director Alain Gallopin said. "We do not have any of the team’s climbers here – as you can see they are at the Giro right now! If I come with Arredondo here today, sure, we could have won the stage. But the race is training for these riders to come back for their next focus.”

Mathias Frank (IAM Cycling) embossed his name on the leader's jersey with a convincing win at the top of the finish climb; Thibaut Pinot (FDJ.fr) and Leopold Konig (NetApp-Endura) placed second and third respectively. The overall classification mirrors the stage finish today and the highest placed for Trek Factory Racing was Haydon Roulston in 34th  (33rd in GC).

“Popo [Yaroslav Popovych] is okay after his crash yesterday," Gallopin added. "In the beginning of the race we had a first category climb and FDJ pulled full gas. Stijn [Devolder] and Kristof [Vandewalle] were in the second group after this. The rest were in the first group, but then with the finish climb – yah, it was a difficult race, just not for us today.”