This week Team Stölting will be active at Brabantse Pijl and the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon.

The last weeks were dominated by cobbled classics, now it's time for the hilly classics of the spring, starting with the Brabantse Pijl - Flèche Brabançonne (1.HC) on Wednesday.

The race starts in the historic centre of Leuven and takes the peloton to Alsemberg, the finish of the race until 2009. After that the route leads to Overijse, and the finish line is crossed for the first time after 135.2 km. The riders will have ascended 11 climbs until then, with three laps of a 23.3 km circuit with five hills remaining. The final climb crests with only 200 m to go, meaning that strong puncheurs will fight for the win.

Team Stölting Service Group lines up with a squad that combines experience and youth. Alex Kirsch (LUX), Christian Mager (GER), and Mads Pedersen (DEN) will be able to draw on the knowledge of routined Gerald Ciolek (GER), Michael Reihs (DEN), and Fabian Wegmann (GER). Romain Lemarchand (FRA) and Lasse Norman Hansen (DEN) complete the line-up.

“It's a bit of a dress rehearsal for the Flèche Wallonne,” says Sports Director Jochen Hahn. “On the other hand, the Brabantse Pijl is a somewhat different race, and we're not racing with the exact same line-up either. We have several cards to play and will decide in the race who to support.”

The Vuelta a Castilla y León (2.1) is held from Friday to Sunday and will be the first Spanish race for Team Stölting Service Group. The mountaintop finish at the Alto de la Plataforma overlooking Cándelario on stage 3 will most likely decide the race.

Stage 1 starts in Alcañices and finishes in the Portuguese border town of Bragança after 166.3 km over rolling terrain, though the final is flat. Bragança is also the start of the 170.6 km stage 2 where the peloton will return to Spain. The profile is a constant up-and-down, and the finish in Fermoselle is only 3 km after a category 2 ascent, so attacks can be expected.. The third and final stage starts in Salamanca and is a real mountain stages. After 151 km, the finish is at the top of the 10 km, 6.6% climb to the Alto de la Plataforma where the climbers will fight for stage and overall honours.

Team Stölting Service Group will be present on the Iberian peninsula with six riders. Linus Gerdemann (GER) takes five neo-pros under his wing: Rasmus Quaade (DEN) and the four Germans Lennard Kämna, Thomas Koep, Sven Reutter, and Jonas Tenbrock.

Sports Director Gregor Willwohl says: “It will be interesting to see Lennard in his preferred terrain. Linus is there too, meaning that we'll have two generations riding side-by-side. Those two will be our GC riders, and Lennard will be able to learn from Linus. Rasmus will support them on the flat stages or might join breakaways, just like Thomas, Sven, and Jonas.”
 

Line-up for Brabantse Pijl

Gerald Ciolek (GER)
Alex Kirsch (LUX)
Romain Lemarchand (FRA)
Christian Mager (GER)
Lasse Norman Hansen (DEN)
Mads Pedersen (DEN)
Michael Reihs (DEN)
Fabian Wegmann (GER)

Line-up for Vuelta a Castilla y Leon

Linus Gerdemann (GER)
Lennard Kämna (GER)
Thomas Koep (GER)
Rasmus Quaade (DEN)
Sven Reutter (GER)
Jonas Tenbrock (GER)