Linus Gerdemann (MTN-Qhubeka) in a rain cape(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Linus Gerdemann (MTN-Qhubeka) celebrates the stage win ahead of Ilnur Zakarin (RusVelo)(Image credit: Sabine Jacob)
German Linus Gerdemann is heading into the Skoda Tour of Luxembourg today with an eye on his first overall stage race victory since he won the race there in 2011.
The MTN-Qhubeka rider returned from a year's hiatus after not being renewed with RadioShack to join the South African Pro Continental team this year. He confirmed his rising form with a recent stage victory at the Tour of Azerbaidjan.
The race begins with a 2.5km prologue today, followed by three undulating stages. The stages on Saturday and Sunday will be key to the overall classification, with hilly circuits in Differdange and Luxembourg featuring short, sharp hills that will favor the climbers.
The team's directeur sportif, Michel Cornelisse - himself a past champion of the event - sees the team's chances for a high placing in the overall as a real possibility.
"I think for this race we will definitely have to go for the general classification as our goal," Cornelisse said. "We have a strong team here with Gerdemann as a previous winner of this race, but all our other riders are strong so we have a good chance of getting a good result. I have just come from the riders rooms a few moments ago and the motivation is really high among them."
The team will be represented by sprinter Andreas Stauff, roulers Daniel Teklehaimanot and Ignatas Konovalovas, Gerdemann, Jaco Venter, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, Jay Thomson and Johann van Zyl.
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