Team founder Thétaz says refusal will serve to provide additional motivation to his riders
Having pushed for a place in one of cycling’s Grand Tours in its first year of existence, the IAM Cycling squad has said that it will instead refocus its efforts on doing so in 2014.
After missing out on the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, the Swiss Pro Continental team was banking its hopes on the Vuelta a España. However the Spanish race confirmed today that it had selected Caja Rural, Cofidis and NetApp as its three wildcards, leaving IAM amongst the teams disappointed at the news.
Reacting to the decision, the team’s founder Michel Thétaz said that while IAM Cycling lost out this time, that he was determined to be more successful in 2014.
“Unsurprisingly the Vuelta chose NetApp as their final selection for the 2013 wild cards. However, the organizers have confirmed their interest in our team,” he said, taking a positive from the experience.
“We were in contention for the final wild card. Preference, however, was given to NetApp. We acknowledge and respect the decision of the organizers.”
Rather than losing heart over it, he said that it would serve to provide additional motivation to his riders, who include Martin Elmiger and Heinrich Haussler. “From our side, it should push us to exceed in all races we will contest to prove to the organizers what our true sporting value really is.
“Of course, we are working to establish a program of races for the second part of the season, but are also making plans for 2014.”
The team has had a solid run of invitations this year, gaining access to the spring Classics and also races such as Paris-Nice, the Tour of Romandie and the Tour de Suisse.
Thus far it has taken two victories; the overall classification in the Tour of the Mediterranean and GC triumph in the Circuit de la Sarthe. Thomas Lofkvist and Matteo Pelucchi were the successful riders in those cases.