At 18:25 Team manager Otto Becker pulled the white folded piece of paper from the draw box, unfolded it carefully and held it up to the audience, which consisted of the team managers from the other nations: Team Germany starts as the 11th team on Wednesday at 13:15 in the first round of the European Championship in Milan, a very far back position, to be able to observe calmly what the competition is up to first. Co-coach Marcus Döring applauded Otto Becker approvingly as he returned to his seat in the first row.
The order in the German team: Gerrit Nieberg starts with Ben, followed by Jana Wargers in second place with starting number 35 – individual riders have also been drawn in between – Christian Kukuk starts with starting number 53 as the third German team rider, before Philipp Weishaupt starts with Zineday as the 60th in the individual standings. Marcus Ehning concludes the lineup as the 79th with Stargold.
Shortly before Otto Becker, Team Switzerland, undoubtedly one of the favorites and defending team title, drew the worst possible draw: The Swiss have to face Bryan Balsiger first in the ring against France with Simon Delestre against Dexter Fontenis Z, the Netherlands with Jur Vrieling and Long John Silver, and Belgium with Koen Vereecke against Kasanova de la Pomme. Belgium’s German coach Peter Weinberg had taken up a comfortable position in row 1 alongside his German colleagues.