In 2013, Heinrich Haussler was the undisputed classics leader on the new IAM team but next year he will have to share the captaincy role with new signing Sylvain Chavanel. However, the Australian is just happy to team up with the experienced Frenchman and claims that the complement each other.

When Gerolsteiner folded at the end of the 2008 season, Heinrich Haussler found himself in a difficult situation. After a couple of lacklustre seasons, an early retirement was even on the cards for the rider who has once shown great potential.

Cervelo TestTeam gave him a lifeline and that proved to be wise decision by the brand new team. Haussler emerged as one of the leading contenders for the classics when he finished 2nd in the Tour of Flanders and Milan-Sanremo and went on to win a stage in the Tour de France later that year.

Since then, the Australian has been plagued by injury and has been unable to hit that same golden vein of form. After some disappointing years at Garmin, he chose to take a step down when he signed for IAM for the 2013 season.

That may have been a good decision as there have been signs that Haussler cannot be written off as a classics contender yet. He was 4th in Gent-Wevelgem, 6th in Flanders and 11th in the Paris-Roubaix and so showed that he is still a force to be reckoned with.

Just as Haussler has started to show signs of life, he may, however, lose his captaincy role. The team has signed Sylvain Chavanel as team leader for the 2014 season and this could move Haussler down in the hierarchy.

Nonetheless, Haussler welcomes the signing of the 2011 Tour of Flanders runner-up.

"Him coming over is just going to make the team stronger," he told Cyclingnews. "A lot of the guys in the team are strong but it's also about having a map in your head and knowing what's coming up. We all spent some time in Belgium riding together and that's going to really help us next year. This year there were a few times when I was by myself but the thing with the Classics is that you need a strong team so we're doing a lot of work on that, a lot of testing of equipment, it's a great situation."

While Haussler and Chavanel both excel in the classics, they are very different riders. Haussler sees that diversity as an advantage.

"Chavanel has had his best races in the Classics when he's gone from a long way," he added. "He's got that massive engine and can do that. I'm more explosive, will try and hang on and will hope that there's a sprint from a small group. We complement each other."

Haussler's season came to an abrupt halt when he crashed and broke his pelvis in the Tour de Suisse. He gradually rode himself back into form and ended the season on a high with a 4th place in Paris-Bourges and 6th in Paris-Tours.

Haussler has already started his preparation for the 2014 season but plans to have a low-key start.

"You have these training camps in November and December and you just end up smashing yourself," he said. "Then you build up your form pretty quick but it's still four months until the Classics and it's impossible to hold that form until then. Some other guys might be able to hold form for that long but I certainly can't.

"With IAM they let me know what I have to do and just let me build up slowly. I start with a small training camp in January, then I'll go to altitude and then do Qatar and Oman."

Haussler's only win in 2013 was a stage victory in the Bayern Rundfahrt.