As the only professional team from Germany, Team NetApp-Endura have big ambitions for the Bayern Rundfahrt which starts on Wednesday, and they line up most of their stars in the five-day race. Leopold König and Jan Barta target the overall victory while Sam Bennet will try to take a win in one of the sprints.

With 20 racers from a total of eleven countries, a sponsor from the US and one from Scotland as well as equipment providers from around the world, the NetApp - Endura team has a bit of a home advantage at many races. Despite this, the Bayern-Rundfahrt is the home race for the top-class German cycling team, since the team's headquarters are still located in Raubling, in Bavaria. With Jan Barta taking third place in the overall rankings, the team was very successful in last year's Bayern Rundfahrt. This year's 35th edition travels from Vilshofen to Nuremberg over five stages and 787.3 kilometres. And despite the Tour De France wildcard and many World Tour starts, the circuit through Bavaria remains something very special for the NetApp – Endura team and one of the highlights of its racing calendar.

"The Bayern Rundfahrt is, in a way, our double home tour. Firstly, it's the only remaining tour in Germany and, secondly, it takes place in Bavaria, where the team is based. And so, of course, we have big plans. We are starting with a very strong team and want to try and win one stage and to be in the running for the overall victory. Of course I don't think that this will be easy to achieve against such first-class competition, but with Jan Barta and Leo König, who have a good chance of victory in the overall rankings, we have every reason to be confident. And with Sam Bennett we have the fastest rider on our team, who can try to win a stage. So we don't want to settle for any less ambitious goals," says Sport Director Enrico Poitschke on the topic of the Bayern Rundfahrt.

Even the first stage of the Bayern Rundfahrt, with a length of 204.6 kilometres, three sprints and two second-category climbs, is anything but a gentle start. The race begins in Vilshofen and ends in Freilassing, not far from Mozart's Austrian hometown of Salzburg. Significantly shorter, but much more selective, is the second stage, going from Freilassing to the Winkelmoos Alm where, after 164.7 kilometres, a summit finish is expected to provide a preliminary indication of the final tour victory. The next day offers up a marathon stage. The third section covers a massive 233.5 kilometres, starting in Grassau south of the Chiemsee and passing by Rosenheim and Munich all the way to Augsburg and the finish line in Neusäß, on the northwest edge of the city.

Even though the tour is naturally not decided until the final 159.6 kilometre stage from Wassertrüdingen to Nuremberg ends on the Sunday, the victor is almost sure to be determined on the penultimate day. This is because that day always sees a time trial, and the racer who dons the yellow jersey following the 25.5 kilometre race against the clock in Wassertrüdingen is sure to do his utmost to keep it on the final day.

Line-up Bayern Rundfahrt:

Jan Barta, Cesare Benedetti, Sam Bennett, Bartosz Huzarski, Leo König, Daniel Schorn, Michael Schwarzmann