Having come to the Vattenfall Cyclassics with a roster full of rouleurs, puncheurs, and sprinters, the IAM Cycling team was convinced they were well-equipped to compete for victory at the time-honored WorldTour race. Michel Thétaz, the team’s founder and the CEO of IAM Funds, had even secret hopes of securing the team’s 40th podium of the year (13 wins, 12 second places and 15 third places) as a way to have a belated birthday celebration for Reto Hollenstein, who turned 30 on the Saturday before the race. 

Unfortunately, circumstances overtook hopes with André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) winning the race, preventing the Swiss team from achieving its goal. Across the line, the team’s best representatives ended up being Sondre Holst Enger in 16th place just ahead Aleksejs Saramotins in 17th.

Rubens Bertogliati, directeur sportif for the team was ready to explain what happened to derail their plans.

“Hamburg is unforgiving when bad luck hamstrings you. A big crash happened in the peloton with 40 kilometers to go, and that really ruined all our hopes. Heinrich Haussler, our designated leader, Roger Kluge and Reto Hollenstein all hit the deck, and were never able to get back on terms with the front of the peloton. Martin Elmiger did a ton of work to help get our leader back into the pack with four kilometers left in the race, but by that time, Haussler had used up way too much energy in the chase to have any hope of participating in the final sprint. It’s really just down to bad luck since Haussler had very good legs.

"Nevertheless, we can look to the bright side since Sondre Holst Enger put in a very encouraging performance. He is just 21 years old, and to be able to stay up front with the best racers in the world for 250 kilometers and still to have the strength to fight for victory is quite an accomplishment.”