IAM have announced their line-up for their home race, the Tour de Suisse.

“A stage win and a good place in the overall classification with Mathias Frank,” Rik Verbrugghe, sports manager for the team, admits frankly that these will be the IAM Cycling main objectives at the Tour of Switzerland, which is a race that team founder Michel Thétaz highly values on the World Tour calendar.

Selecting eight riders for the Swiss tour has not been an easy task. Rik Verbrugghe had to take into account the various possible scenarios that could unfold before deciding on a phalanx guard in the mountains for Mathias Frank. 

“This edition of the Tour of Switzerland is very mountainous, and we will rely on the help of the climbers to protect our leader.  Stefan Denifl, Jarlinson Pantano, Marcel Wyss and Oliver Zaugg have been called up to accompany him for as long as possible on the hard climbs.”

“We can and should aim for a stage victory,” commented Rik Verbrugghe.  “There will be plenty of opportunities with Dries Devenyns, Martin Elmiger, Reto Hollenstein, Jarlinson Pantano and even Mathias Frank can look to play for a win, especially since they have all managed to do so on other occasions.”

IAM Cycling will be fielding a team that will also form the core of the group of riders likely to show up at the start of the Tour de France, Saturday, July 2nd, in the prestigious setting of Mont Saint-Michel. Rik Verbrugghe confirmed this:

“Indeed, many of the riders entered in the Tour of Switzerland will also be starting in La Grande Boucle. However, just being here does not automatically ensure a place for this summer’s biggest race.  There are nine places available, and we will endeavor to build a team with the most successful riders at the moment of selecting our final Tour squad, which in principle will have to happen the day after the Swiss race ends in Davos.”

For once, IAM Cycling will start their home Swiss tour with a majority of Swiss riders.  Martin Elmiger, Mathias Frank, Reto Hollenstein, Marcel Wyss and Oliver Zaugg will all be racing over home roads since the Tour of Switzerland will linger just one afternoon in the French Romandie region of the country.

IAM Cycling will spend Friday night on the ceremonial podium erected in Baar.  As part of the official team presentation, the squad led by Rik Verbrugghe and Mario Chiesa will be expected to appear around 8pm.