NetApp-Endura is ready for their final race in their home country when they line up for the Münsterland Giro on Friday. In the absence of sprinter Sam Bennett, the team will be led by Daniel Schorn and Ralf Matzka.

The Münsterland Giro, to be held on the coming Friday, is the last of a total of six "home games" for the German NetApp-Endura team in the 2014 season. The flat race over 209 kilometers takes place traditionally on the third of October, the Day of German Unity, leading through the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and ending on the Schlossplatz in Münster. Following a disappointing launch last year, the top German cycling team wants to impress again this year but it has recently had to do without its sprint captain, Sam Bennett.

"We certainly have a few plans for the last race in Germany. Unfortunately Sam is ill so Patrick Konrad will be starting instead, which means we are not quite so well set up for the sprint. For that reason we will try to ride aggressively and look for our opportunity. In the most recent races Daniel Schorn and Ralf Matzka have proved that they have a good chance and that they can at least aim for a place on the podium. Even though I don't necessarily want to talk about a win, we will be trying our best to be successful," says Enrico Poitschke, Sport Director of the NetApp – Endura team, giving away his team’s objective.

With only three comparatively simple climbs, the last of which is almost 50 kilometers from the finish, the Münsterland Giro is at least topographically a race for the sprinters. Despite that, breakaway riders repeatedly manage to celebrate the win on the Schlossplatz in Münster, the reason being that the route is highly susceptible to the wind. Last year the race was once again decided between a small group of riders. This year's ninth running of the race will start on the Domplatz in Billerbeck, after which the 209-kilometer race will first follow a large loop to the west of the finish. Then the concluding race of the German professional season will end with four final laps through Münster.

Line-up:

Blaz Jarc, Patrick Konrad, Alexander Krieger, Ralf Matzka, Andreas Schillinger, Daniel Schorn, Michael Schwarzmann, Scott Thwaites