Team dsm-firmenich PostNL coach Bennie Lambregts: “Rund um Köln is a beautiful and historic race with a varied course which includes a flat early part, then a hilly zone and some flatter roads as we head back to Köln. If the racing is fast in the hilly zone, then the peloton will be thinned out considerably and it will be difficult for the sprinters to survive, so we need to be sharp there. Nonetheless, our goal for the race is to keep our finisher, Casper, in the reduced peloton so that we can go for a sprint result with him in the final. For this we will need good teamwork throughout the day, but we are ready for the battle.”