Team Giant-Shimano head into a busey week where they will target sprint and GC success in both the Tour of Belgium and the Bayern Rundfahrt. Tom Dumoulin and Dries Devenyns will focus on the overall standings and Jonas Ahlstrands on the sprints in the Belgian race while Lawson Craddock and Warren Barguil will challenge for overall honours in Bayern where Nikias Arndt will be the designated sprinter.

This Wednesday sees the start of two European stage races, one of those being the five-day Bayern Rundfahrt.
 

The German race gets straight into the action with a tough 201.6km stage from Vilshofen to Freilassing where the succession of short climbs may see the first small splits occurring in the race.

Four road stages and an individual time trial comprise this race in which Simon Geschke - currently racing at the Giro d'Italia - finished fifth overall at in 2013.

The recent third place at the Amgen Tour of California, Lawson Craddock  returns to European racing here together with Warren Barguil who has had a break from racing since the Ardennes Classics.

They are joined by Thomas Damuseau who has been showing good form of late and also sprinter, Nikias Arndt.

"We have a well balanced team with different options for this race," said Team Giant-Shimano coach, Lionel Marie. "Nikias will be our sprinter here while two young all-rounders Warren and Lawson can perform well when the road goes upwards.

"There is strong support here including Thomas who is climbing very well so we can be ready to challenge on all different types of parcours here in Germany."

Tom Dumoulin returns to the Baloise Belgium Tour after finishing fifth here last year looking to improve together with a strong Team Giant-Shimano line-up.
 

Dumoulin will share the leader's role with Dries Devenyns who is racing on home soil for this five-day stage race.

The racing gets underway with a flat 173.6km road stage to decide the first leader of the race and Team Giant-Shimano will be supporting Jonas Ahlstrand for this stage and the other sprint opportunities.

The race also includes a 16.7km individual time which could play a large part in deciding the overall result. Dumoulin has already proved his capabilities against the clock this season and will be looking for a strong performance again here.

Team Giant-Shimano coach, Aike Visbeek said: "We will go for a good result in the GC with Dries and Tom, and alongside them we have a strong, well rounded team who can challenge for the victory on all stages.

"Roy [Curvers] will be the team's captain out on the road and he will be helping to guide the team in the different scenarios that present themselves."

Supporting the stage and overall ambitions at the Baloise Belgium Tour is Brian Bulgac,Chad Haga who returns from a strong performance in California, and also Cheng Ji  and Koen De Kort.
 

Giant-Shimano for Bayern Rundfahrt

Nikias Arndt (GER)
Warren Barguil (FRA)
Lawson Craddock (USA)
Thomas Damuseau (FRA)
Johannes Fröhlinger (GER)
Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (RSA)
Tom Peterson (USA)

Giant-Shimano for Tour of Belgium

Jonas Ahlstrand (SWE)
Brian Bulgac (NED)
Roy Curvers (NED)
Dries Devenyns (BEL)
Tom Dumoulin (NED)
Chad Haga (USA)
Cheng Ji (CHN)
Koen De Kort (NED)