With Mathias Frank out of the race, IAM are now targeting stage wins in the Tour de France and today Sylvain Chavanel gave it his first try in the first mountain stage of the race. Admitting that Blel Kadri had been the strongest, he is ready to try again tomorrow.

Michel Thétaz emphasized the team’s new objectives Friday night in Geneva, having accompanied Mathias Frank to hospital after he fractured his femur in a crash. 

“Our goal now is stage wins.” 

He reiterated this message to all the riders and staff at the race later that evening in an email. And even though Blel Kadri (AG2R-La Mondiale) took a solo stage win on Saturday at the top of Gérardmer and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) defended his overall lead, Sylvain Chavanel took Thétaz’s message to heart, going early on the attack at Tomblaine and hanging on for 10th place on the difficult stage.

Chavanel, the time trial champion of France, went first alone and then found help in the form of  Niki Terpstra, before being joined by three others, including the day’s eventual winner.  
 
On his return to the bus after taking a stop at the doping control, Sylvain Chavanel commented on his day. 

“I am both disappointed and satisfied.  Blel Kadri deserved to win.  He was stronger than me on the hardest gradients of the climbs.  I had reconed this stage.  I wanted to put myself in the front.  That I succeeded to end up in 10th place after this stage is not terrible. 

"I was glad, however to work with Niki Terpstra.  During the first forty minutes, we were doing about 60 km/h on average.  I spent a lot of energy during that part, but that’s how the sport works. 

"I am not depressed and I’ll try my luck another time.  Why not tomorrow if I recover well?  I am willing to do my best and hope that once the success will be on my side.”