While a big part of the Tour de France roster is racing at the Criterium du Dauphiné, another part of the NetApp-Endura team is gearing up for Switzerland's biggest one-day race, the GP Gippingen. The race is held on a hilly circuit and could favour riders like Sam Bennett, Paul Voss and Zak Dempster who can all both climb and sprint.

The Grand Prix of the Canton of Aargau, which has been running since 1964, is now the most important one-day cycling race in Switzerland and also the highlight of the three-day Gippinger Radsporttage. The 181.5 kilometer classic race that favors allrounders who aren’t afraid of mountain sections is held on a difficult 12.1 kilometer circuit, which means riders have to circumvent the small Swiss community of Gippingen 15 times. After a somewhat lackluster performance last year, Team NetApp – Endura, which is led by Paul Voß and Zak Dempster, wants to follow up on the good sixth place of Leo König from 2012.

“This race is ideal for riders like Paul Voß, Zak Dempster and even Sam Bennett, who is one of those sprinters that is also a good climber. We know it will be a difficult race, as it has the feel of an elimination race because it includes a mountain section. Riders need to be strong and also capable of pushing forward on the final lap, if they want to achieve any kind of result in the race. But all three are fit at the moment and feeling strong. They are very motivated and really want to achieve a good result,” said Alex Sans Vega, Sport Director of Team NetApp – Endura.

Just two days before the start of the Tour de Suisse, this demanding one-day race in Switzerland has once again attracted a world-class field of riders to the Swiss cycling stronghold in Gippingen, which is situated at the confluence of the Aare and Rhine. With a difference in altitude of 2715 meters, this race is more suited to climbers; but over the past 50 years numerous sprinters have also had reason to celebrate. With its ambitious lineup, NetApp – Endura Team has a good chance of finishing its last one-day race before the Tour de France successfully.

Line-up: Sam Bennett, Iker Camano, Zak Dempster, Jonathan McEvoy, Erick Rowsell, Andreas Schillinger, Michael Schwarzmann, Paul Voß.