CCC Sprandi Polkowice has announced a 7-man line-up for the upcoming Czech Cycling Tour.

"Our two Czech riders – Jan Hirt and Josef Cerny – are both on the roster for this event. For them it is a very prestigious and important race and they want to showcase their skills and form in front of the Czech fans," Piotr Wadecki, sporting director of CCC Sprandi Polkowice, explains.

The course in this year’s edition was only slightly modified compared to last year’s. The race also starts with a team time trial, which is followed by three hilly stages. The third one, from Mohelnice to Sterberk, seems to be the hardest, with 8 categorized climbs.

"In the TTT we’re counting on good time trialists like Cerny, Nikolay Mihaylov and Stefan Schumacher. The other stages are not typical mountain races, but last year some big gaps were created. One of the stages, with the finish in Sternberk, was won by a typical climber, Jan Hirt," Wadecki added.

In 2015 organizers decided to improve the category of the race to 2.1 (from 2.2 in 2014). Therefore some of the best teams in the world, like Etixx-Quick Step, Team Sky and Bora-Argon 18, will participate.

Riders of the Polkowice-based squad were racing in Czech Tour last season as a Polish National Team and Mateusz Taciak finished the competition in 15th place overall. Jan Hirt who was representing the continental U23 team Etixx, took 8th.

Line-up of CCC Sprandi Polkowice for Czech Cycling Tour (2.1, 13-16.08): 

Piotr Brożyna, Josef Cerny, Jan Hirt, Bartłomiej Matysiak, Nikolay Mihaylov, Stefan Schumacher, Sylwester Szmyd