Sylvain is new for the team for 2014, coming from super-strong classics team OPQS, and should provide some great power as our leader in the classics. His all-round abilities should prove to be very strong this year, with him strong in time-trials along with cobbles and uphill which make him one of the strongest riders in the division! His vast experience will also help some of our youngsters progress.
His targets for 2014 include the biggest cobbled classics there are - Paris- Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen! He will also use his strength to target the Tour, if we manage to get a wildcard where he'll try to win a stage using his strenth.
Since arriving here last year, Heinrich has shown his abilities in the classics and as with Sylvain, that's where he'll be focusing in 2013. Good on the cobbles with a great sprint, he's proved in the past that he can provide great results if he's in the finishing group, like his 2nd place at Milano Sanremo in 2009.
Speaking of Sanremo, that'll be his big objective of 2014, with him having a good history there. With more climbs on the course though this year, it could be tough. Another race he has history in is Gent - Wevelgem, where he'll hope to replicate his top five in 2013. Finally, he'll peak for the Autumn classics, with his main target being the flat Vattenfall Cyclassics.
Another new addition to the squad, Swiss climber Matthias Frank will be our leader in stage races in 2014. Great uphill and decent against the clock, he'll
be the perfect rider to target the big stage races we'll be entering this year.
Tour de Romandie and Suisse are both WorldTour races held in our home country where we hope Matthias can do well and get us recognised on the tougher stages. He'll also aim for the Tour, which we hope we can get a wildcard for and showcase our team in the biggest race in world cycling.
Thanks guys. Yes, Goddaert was terrible news irl, he'll be sorely missed.
Australian / New Zealand National Championships 10th - 14th January, 2014
Our only rider in these races was Haussler, in the Australian races, and he was very out of form so the races were simulated. He finished well down on time in both. The winners:
Today, the wildcards for the 2014 Tour de France and Paris - Nice were announced by race organisers ASO by race director Christian Prudhomme. On that list was IAM, meaning that we'll get to race in two of the biggest races worldwide this year, a big step for the team. It will see IAM riding their first ever grand tour, in which riders like Sylvain Chavanel and Matthias Frank will compete against the elite of the cycling world.
Also given wildcards for Le Tour were French teams Cofidis and Bretange, along with African team MTN who will also ride in their first ever grand tour, which is a milestone as the first African trade team to participate. For Paris - Nice, the two French squads also participate along with Polish team CCC and Spanish squad Caja Rural.
Tour Méditerranéen Preview 6th - 10th February / 2.1
Our first race of the season as a team is the Tour Méditerranéen, a small stage race held in France in early February. Five stages make up the race, with the GC probably being decided in the ITT on stage two and the hilly stages 3-5. Stage one is flat, which gives the sprinters their only opportunity of a stage win.
Despite this being only rated 2.1 though, plenty of big riders are using this as a warm-up race for bigger ones ahead, which should mean getting results here won't be easy. As far as the GC is concerned there are many potential candidates who could challenge for victory come the end of the race.
However, we've brought a strong squad here full of riders hoping to build form ahead of our heavy classics schedule. Among these are two of our biggest team leaders; Chavanel and Haussler both make the trip here! Haussler will contest stage one before jetting off to Oman, while Chavanel will try an assault on the GC with his good hill and time-trial abilities.
As far as challengers, none come bigger than Contador (Tinkoff) who begins his season here, and could claim time on the hilly stages if on form. Another one to watch is Phinney (BMC), hot off the back of victory at the Etoiles de Besseges. Gerrans (Orica), Peraud (AG2R) and Voeckler (Europcar) are also tipped to do well. For the flat stage one, Kristoff (Katusha) is the favourite.
Edited by FroomeDog99 on 20-02-2014 19:09
Good luck, should be a great one to follow. Dunno why, but always love doing IAM stats
Hopefully you have success with Reichenbach and he develops quite well too, he became one of my favoruites last year, out of relative obscurity he became one of their best climbers.
Thanks Reichenbach does have good potential, he'll probably get to about 78/79 mountain in the end, so hopefully he can be a leader in future.
---
Tour Méditerranéen - Stage 1 10th February / 2.1
First sage of the race is a flat one, which should be a nailed on bunch sprint with the pan-flat final 30 kilometres. We hope Haussler can pick up a good result today, with this being the only stage that suits him, but we'll have to see how Kristoff (Katusha), Coquard (Europcar) and Co are feeling first.
Early on, Mohoric (Cannondale) attacks away and forms a solo breakaway today. A bold move, especially on his first pro stage ever!
Behind, we help to set the pace along with teams with other sprinters like Orica and FDJ. The young Slovenian's gap is managed over the day and he is brought back before the final ten kilometres.
Moving towards the climax of the race, we decide to set up a train to try and set up Haussler for a good result. Larsson is doing a good job in holding off a Europcar train, who are trying to set up Coquard.
Going into the final kilometre though, Haussler is positioned a bit further back after Gene put in a good kick to set up Coquard for Europcar, who is coming through now. He'll have to do well to grab a top five with plenty of others moving quickly, including Lobato (Movistar) and Kristoff (Katusha).
In the end it's the Norwegian, Kristoff, who takes victory easily, along with the race lead ahead of tomorrow's time trial for Katusha!
Lobato sprints through to hold off Coquard for 2nd behind. Haussler takes 6th, a decent result. With better fitness we're confident he can do even better, so a good start here in France. Tomorrow's ITT should be even better, with Chavanel one of the big favourites.
1
Alexander Kristoff
Team Katusha
3h24'58
2
Juan José Lobato
Movistar Team
s.t.
3
Bryan Coquard
Team Europcar
s.t.
4
Jonas Vangenechten
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
5
Jürgen Roelandts
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
6
Heinrich Haussler
IAM Cycling
s.t.
7
Yohann Gène
Team Europcar
s.t.
8
Brett Lancaster
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
9
Romain Feillu
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
10
Ángel Vicioso
Team Katusha
s.t.
Spoiler
11
Matteo Pelucchi
IAM Cycling
s.t.
12
Vicente Reynès
IAM Cycling
s.t.
13
Kenny Van Hummel
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
14
Tosh Van der Sande
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
15
Pavel Kochetkov
Team Katusha
s.t.
16
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
17
Tim Wellens
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
18
Davide Appollonio
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
19
Simon Gerrans
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
20
Simon Clarke
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
21
Thibaut Pinot
FDJ.fr
s.t.
22
Sea Keong Loh
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
23
Wilco Kelderman
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
24
Daniel Oss
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
25
Sebastian Lander
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
26
Christian Meier
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
27
Axel Domont
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
28
Christophe Riblon
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
29
Daan Olivier
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
30
Maxime Monfort
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
31
Maarten Tjallingii
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
32
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
s.t.
33
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
s.t.
34
Tony Gallopin
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
35
Blel Kadri
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
36
Peter Stetina
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
37
Angelo Tulik
Team Europcar
s.t.
38
Nicki Sørensen
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
39
Alberto Contador
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
40
Alessandro De Marchi
Cannondale
s.t.
41
Matteo Montaguti
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
42
Perrig Quemeneur
Team Europcar
s.t.
43
Javier Moreno
Movistar Team
s.t.
44
Stéphane Poulhiès
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
45
Dries Devenyns
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
46
Baptiste Planckaert
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
47
Cameron Meyer
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
48
Fabio Sabatini
Cannondale
s.t.
49
Sérgio Paulinho
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
50
Warren Barguil
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
51
Jérôme Cousin
Team Europcar
s.t.
52
Laurent Mangel
FDJ.fr
s.t.
53
Jonathan Hivert
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
54
Reto Hollenstein
IAM Cycling
s.t.
55
Sylvain Chavanel
IAM Cycling
s.t.
56
Gustav Erik Larsson
IAM Cycling
s.t.
57
Jonathan Fumeaux
IAM Cycling
s.t.
58
Jean-Christophe Peraud
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
59
Alexandre Geniez
FDJ.fr
s.t.
60
Frederik Willems
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
61
Ben Gastauer
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
62
Pavel Brutt
Team Katusha
s.t.
63
Thomas Damuseau
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
64
Bram Tankink
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
65
Gatis Smukulis
Team Katusha
s.t.
66
Stefan Denifl
IAM Cycling
s.t.
67
Thierry Hupond
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
68
Bart De Clercq
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
69
Mathieu Sprick
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
70
Greg Van Avermaet
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
71
Chad Haga
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
72
Simon Yates
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
73
Murilo Fischer
FDJ.fr
s.t.
74
Marko Kump
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
75
Anthony Roux
FDJ.fr
s.t.
76
Cédric Pineau
FDJ.fr
s.t.
77
Dennis Van Winden
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
78
Marek Rutkiewicz
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
79
Jay McCarthy
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
80
Marc Goos
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
81
Maxime Bouet
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
82
Marcos García
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
83
Gorka Izagirre
Movistar Team
s.t.
84
Tomasz Marczynski
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
85
Oliver Zaugg
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
86
Thomas Vaubourzeix
Team La Pomme Marseille
s.t.
87
Olivier Chevalier
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
88
Julien El Fares
Team La Pomme Marseille
s.t.
89
Laurens Ten Dam
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
90
Sylwester Szmyd
Movistar Team
s.t.
91
Christopher Juul-Jensen
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
92
Francis Mourey
FDJ.fr
s.t.
93
Chris Anker Sørensen
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
94
Matej Mohorič
Cannondale
s.t.
95
Yannick Eijssen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
96
Marcus Burghardt
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
97
Nikolay Mihaylov
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
98
Emilien Viennet
FDJ.fr
s.t.
99
Emanuele Sella
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
100
Petr Ignatenko
Team Katusha
s.t.
101
Davide Rebellin
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
102
Edwig Cammaerts
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
103
Bryan Nauleau
Team Europcar
s.t.
104
Daniel Navarro
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
105
Romain Zingle
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
106
Christophe Le Mével
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
107
Sébastien Delfosse
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
108
Diego Milán
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
109
Sergey Firsanov
RusVelo
s.t.
110
Omar Bertazzo
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
111
Ángel Madrazo
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
112
Amets Txurruka
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
113
Sep Vanmarcke
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
114
David Arroyo
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
115
Jean-Marc Bideau
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
116
Artem Ovechkin
RusVelo
s.t.
117
José Gonçalves
Team La Pomme Marseille
s.t.
118
Omar Fraile
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
119
Benjamin Le Montagner
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
120
Lukasz Wisniowski
Etixx
s.t.
121
Johan Coenen
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
122
Stéphane Rossetto
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
123
Serguei Klimov
RusVelo
s.t.
124
Mateusz Taciak
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
125
Heiner Parra
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
126
Romain Lemarchand
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
127
Sergei Pomoshnikov
RusVelo
s.t.
128
Eduard Vorganov
Team Katusha
s.t.
129
Gert Joeaar
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
130
Antoine Lavieu
Team La Pomme Marseille
s.t.
131
Frédéric Amorison
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
132
Laurent Evrard
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
133
Francisco José Ventoso
Movistar Team
s.t.
134
Tom Dernies
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
135
Tomasz Kiendyś
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
136
Marco Marcato
Cannondale
s.t.
137
Yoann Paillot
Team La Pomme Marseille
s.t.
138
Nicola Testi
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
139
Jacek Morajko
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
140
Marco Frapporti
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
141
Manuel Belletti
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
142
Florian Vachon
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
143
Justin Jules
Team La Pomme Marseille
s.t.
144
Josef Cerny
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
145
Davide Viganò
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
146
Steve Morabito
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
147
Jean-Marc Marino
Cannondale
s.t.
148
Quentin Jauregui
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
149
Steven Tronet
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
150
Gediminas Kaupas
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
151
Daniel Hoelgaard
Etixx
s.t.
152
Gianfranco Zilioli
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
153
Karel Hník
Etixx
s.t.
154
Domingos Gonçalves
Team La Pomme Marseille
s.t.
155
Erwann Corbel
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
156
Gennadiy Tatarinov
RusVelo
s.t.
157
Jérémy Bescond
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
158
Artur Ershov
RusVelo
s.t.
159
Markus Hoelgaard
Etixx
s.t.
160
Timothy Dupont
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
161
Grégoire Tarride
Team La Pomme Marseille
s.t.
162
Benoit Jarrier
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
163
Flavien Dassonville
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
164
Florent Mottet
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
165
Yannis Yssaad
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
166
Julien Stassen
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
167
Quentin Bertholet
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
168
Roman Maikin
RusVelo
s.t.
169
John Gadret
Movistar Team
s.t.
170
Arnaud Gérard
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
171
Pierre Gouault
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
172
Armindo Fonseca
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
173
Guillaume Boivin
Cannondale
s.t.
174
Janis Dakteris
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
175
Ramón Domene
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
176
Davide Formolo
Cannondale
s.t.
177
Paco Ghistelinck
Etixx
s.t.
178
Josip Rumac
Etixx
s.t.
179
Rudy Kowalski
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
180
César Bihel
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
181
Alberto Bettiol
Cannondale
s.t.
182
Ivan Balykin
RusVelo
s.t.
183
Maxime Renault
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
184
Romain Pillon
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
185
Iván Gutiérrez
Movistar Team
s.t.
186
Luboš Pelánek
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
187
Augusto Sanchez
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
188
Jimmy Turgis
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
189
Alexander Rybakov
Team Katusha
s.t.
190
Sven Fritsch
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
191
Giovanni Bernaudeau
Team Europcar
s.t.
Tour Méditerranéen - Stage 2 11th February / 2.1
Stage two brings a 24 kilometre individual time-trial, which should suit the pure rouleurs with 90% of the course being flat. The final 2 kilometres birngs a steep climb though up to the summit of Mont Saint Clair. Chavanel should be our biggest hope, with Larsson also haveing a chance of a good result. Phinney (BMC) is the big favourite though.
First rider of note to set off is Peraud (AG2R). The veteran, riding on home turf, is good against the clock and this shows, with the Frenchman setting a new best time of 36'10".
Then, Chavanel starts for us. He isn't in top form, but is a very competitive time-trialist in any field. It'll be interesting to see what he can do.
He stops the clock on 36 minutes dead, which means he takes over the lead by ten seconds! A good performance which pushes compatriot Peraud down into second provisionally. We'll see how this time holds up against riders still to come.
GC-favourite Contador (Tinkoff) isn't what he used to be in a time-trial, but still has the ability to stay relatively close to the other contenders who are better rouleurs. His time - 36'19", staying within 19 seconds of Chavanel, who still leads.
Talented Dutch rider Kelderman (Belkin) is also decent in this discipline, and it shows as he puts in a great performance. He recoups a 5 second defosit on the final climb to set a time of 35'58", just two seconds ahead of Chavanel who is bumped out of the lead!
It doesn't stay that way for long though, with Phinney (BMC) then setting a time. The big American, who could be an outsider for the GC if he can hold on during the tougher stages, comfortably takes the lead. His time of 35'30" smashes Kelderman's and moves him into the lead by 27 seconds.
Final rider who could trouble the top riders that goes is Larsson, who gained a couple of bonus seconds yesterday while doing work on the front. His time, 36'18", isn't enough to trouble leader Phinney but is enough to pick him up a ninth place finish.
With none of the sprinters, including race leader Kristoff (Katusha), able to set decent times Phinney takes the overall lead into the forthcoming hilly stages, along with his stage win today.
Chavanel meanwhile moves up into 3rd overall behind Kelderman, not a bad position to be in moving into the tougher half of the race, setting him up for a good overall position. Larsson also lies well-placed in 6th overall but won't probably be able hold onto it.
IAM Cycling - 2014
Sylvain Chavanel
Heinrich Haussler
Pelucchi
Kluge
Larsson
Reynes
Saramontins
Denifl
Ista
Tour of Oman
New Zealand National Championships
CCC Polsat Polkowice
MTN - Qhubeka
