Having just finished the Criterium du Dauphiné, Sylvain Chavanel will finalize his preparation for the Tour de France in the Route du Sud which starts tomorrow. The mountainous race is held in the Pyrenees and suits the pure climbers, meaning that it will be more about training than obtaining results for IAM.

Just two weeks before le Grand Départ of the Tour de France in Leeds (July 5th), the Route du Sud, along with the final stages of the Tour of Switzerland, will be the last chance to make the decisions that will effect what essentially are the final details.  The national championships that will follow later this month are important, but do not provide the same bellwether. 

IAM Cycling direcetur sportif Mario Chiesa, confirmed the importance of this event while highlighting the definite difficulties that the Route du Sud organizers have in store for the first two stages. 

“For a rider like Sylvain Chavanel, these three days will give him the opportunity to refine his form.  He is concentrating on the start of the Tour in Leeds, but also on doing as well as possible at the French national championships.  He has to be fit very early in the Tour if he wants to achieve his objectives. 

"On another note, Vicente Reynes will now have an opportunity to show how far he has progressed since overcoming the trouble he has had with prostatitis. 

"There will be a number of difficult climbs, so everyone will be challenged.  While the first two stages seem to me to be a bit too hard for us, there will definitely be the opportunity for us to do something on Sunday in the final.  We will think about it.”