IAM Cycling to Join the Tour de France

IAM Cycling has everything of a World Tour Team, except the title. And after only one season, the only Swiss professional cycling team shows that they already have ambitions, talents and excellent organisation.

When you are a Pro Continental Team you, one goal is to receive wild cards from race organisors. Having just returned from a really efficient training camp in Mallorca, ASO informed IAM Cycling that it had been handed the magic pass to the 2014 Tour de France along with Cofidis, Bretagne-Séché Environnement and NetApp-Endura.

For Michel Thétaz, IAM Cycling General Manager, his dream became a reality once he received the phone call late Monday afternoon from Christian Prudhomme, the General Director of the Tour de France.

In response, IAM Cycling’s General Manager, Michel Thétaz cracked open a bottle of champagne and took the time to answer a few questions from journalists.  Less than 24 hours after the good news was delivered, le patron can analyze with a clear head what will be the consequences of the team’s participation in the most prestigious race in the world.

From July 5th to 27th, from Leeds to Paris, over 21 stages covering 3656 kilometers, IAM Cycling will gain unprecedented visibility.  First and foremost, Michel Thétaz wanted to reiterate his thanks to the organizers of the Tour de France for their confidence in the team.

“For me, the Tour de France has become an obsession.  Today we received confirmation of the validity of our work throughout our first season in the peloton last year.  The team is well organized and we have a great coaching and support staff.  This means that our invitations from the ASO to the Tour de France, Paris-Nice and the Dauphiné Libéré have brought us pure joy.  I would like to give my sincere thanks to the organizers for their gesture of confidence.”

While confirming that IAM Cycling will still pursue the ambition of receiving a wild card invitation for the Tour of Spain as well, Thétaz stresses that the budget has been fully completed.

“We started the season with the goal of participating in two major national tours.  To accomplish this, we do not have to look for additional revenue.  The main sponsor, IAM will have a unique profile and we will not need to fall back on a co-sponsor to complete our full calendar.”