IAM is one of several teams that is hopeful of receiving an invitation for next year's Tour de France and the Swiss team is hopeful that the signing of Sylvain Chavanel will improve their chances. Manager Serge Beucherie likes the course for the race and promises to an aggressive approach if his team receives an invitation.

In their maiden season, the new IAM team was one of the final teams that was in contention for a wildcard for this year's Tour de France but the team didn't receive an invitation for the world's biggest bike race. Next year the team hopes to be present at the French grand tour and was present at today's presentation of the course in Palais des Congres.

Manager Serge Beucherie was pleased with a balanced course that offers possibilities for all types of riders and promised to race aggressively if his team receives an invitation.

“If we are invited to the Tour de France next summer, IAM Cycling will have great things to do during those three weeks," he said. “While we do not have the winner of the Tour in our ranks, we have done enough within the peloton to deserve to be present at the table.  The course seems well balanced.  And if we are present, I am sure our guys will be able to animate the race."

With sprinters like Matteo Pelucchi, Sebastien Hinault and Heinrich Haussler and climbers like Thomas Löfkvist, Johann Tschopp, Sebastien Reichenbach and Marcel Wyss in its ranks, the team has a number of different cards to play in all terrains. The team has bolstered its squad with the signings of Sylvain Chavanel, Jerome Pineau, Mathias Frank, Roger Kluge and Vicente Reynes and especially the presence of the two Frenchmen will be important in the battle for the wildcard invitations.

With the race having several lumpy stages, there will be plenty of opportunities for a rider like Chavanel. The first one comes already on the second day on the stage that finishes in Sheffield.

Hinault expects his future teammate to shine on this kind of course.

“I find the Tour course in 2014 to be more dynamic," he said  Not only are we looking at the stage 2 in Yorkshire, but we’re also facing the cobbles in the north and a tour through the Vosges.  Knowing our future teammate Sylvain Chavanel’s predilections, I’m sure he’ll be pleased with this route.”

Sports director Eddy Seigneur explained that his team will do its utmost to receive an invitation.

“There will be something for everyone during the three weeks," he said. "With the team, we are  determined to climb an additional step in the pecking order to earn an invitation.  The motivation is to go full-on from the moment we start training for 2014 and go make a first reconnaissance of the classics in three weeks.”

The Tour de France starts on July 5 in Leeds.