TEAM PROFILE Country: Germany Team boss: Hans-Michael Holczer Team leaders: Georg Totschnig Davide Rebellin Best Tour: n/a

Their relative inexperience and the ardours of the Tour de France could prove too much for them to make a serious impact this time around.

But team boss Hans-Michael Holczer believes that in Georg Totschnig they have a rider capable of pushing for a top-10 finish.

The Austrian has impressed on the big stage recently, finishing seventh overall in last year's Giro d'Italia before improving to fifth this year.

He is a mountain specialist and also flourishes against the clock.

Udo Bolts, who was signed at the start of the season, is the old hand of the Tour de France.

A veteran of 11 Tours de France, he will work as Totschnig's chief lieutenant for much of the time and could even sneak out a stage win.

Stage wins may also come from the bike of Davide Rebellin.

Rebellin said recently: "There are a few stages which might be suited to me. I will not, however, be able to play a major roll in the overall classification."

Rebellin has already enjoyed some success in the World Cup this season, finishing fourth in the Amstel Gold Race, where Gianni Feresin picked up one of his two top-15 finishes this season.

Marcus Zberg also has a top-15 World Cup finish under his belt this season.