Swiss team expanding roster and depth of talent, but doesn't want WorldTour licence in 2014
The sight of Sylvain Chavanel firing off strong attacks has been an often-seen one in the peloton, with the rider one of the most aggressive in the bunch. That will continue next season, but this time the Frenchman will have a new jersey and even more personal freedom, with Chavanel taking up a leadership role with the IAM Cycling team.
Currently part of the Omega Pharma Quick Step setup, Chavenel has had to sacrifice his own chances at times for the likes of Tom Boonen, the team’s main Classics rider, and the sprinter Mark Cavendish.
However a desire to seize his own chances plus the opportunity to become a leader have enticed him away and he will be part of the growing Swiss team next season. New kit, new opportunities.
At a press conference held at the team’s service course in Nyon, Switzerland today, Chavanel’s signing was confirmed, as well as that of Mathias Frank, the BMC Racing Team rider who led the Tour de Suisse for several stages and finished fifth overall, and who won stage two of the USA Pro Challenge this week.
Also coming on board is Chavenel’s current team-mate Jérôme Pineau, a former Giro d’Italia stage winner and Tour de France King of the Mountains jersey wearer, Lotto-Belisol fastman Vicente Reynes and NetApp Endura’s Roger Kluge, a past best young rider in the Tour of Qatar.
Although the team has stepped up in terms of quality, it had no desire at this point to get a WorldTour licence. It believes that the addition of riders such as Chavanel and Frank will help it secure invitations to the top races, and will progress through that tactic.
"With the culture and spirit of the team, we were able to accomplish wonderful things this year,” said the founder Michel Thétaz, who is also the CEO of IAM Investment Funds. “Our recipe appears to have succeeded. We haven’t often been to heaven, but on the other hand, we know the stars well.
“Maybe we didn’t have as much luck at the Paris-Roubaix as we would have hoped, but we did succeed in winning races in Germany, France, Italy as well as Switzerland.
“In 2014, we will be even stronger and more efficient with our forces. I can admit that I was quite surprised by the level of interest we had from riders making requests to join the team. So naturally, we have taken great care in choosing among the requests from riders, many of whom are very well known.”
It is not clear if there will be further additions.
Team manager Serge Beucherie said proving people wrong was a motivation in its first year. “Few people really believed in our chances. We made certain to set to work immediately,” he said. “The seriousness as well as enthusiasm everyone has had for the project has helped; and without bragging, we have met our ambitious challenge.
“We have achieved great things while managing to encourage an exemplary attitude and united state of mind in a team among riders who come from no fewer than ten countries.”
He said it was important to keep the momentum going and to expand the team.
“Both Michel Thétaz and I agreed that it seemed natural to set out to boost the roster for 2014. Thanks to the prevailing atmosphere among our current riders as well as how seriously we take our work, we did manage to interest a number of excellent riders in our program.
“Arrivals such as Sylvain Chavanel and Mathias Frank are perfect examples. We have every reason to be satisfied with our progress and look forward to continuing in the same direction that we have taken ever since the team was founded in April 2012.”