With a view to having a perfect preparation for the upcoming highlights of the season, six riders from IAM Cycling will be engaging in a training camp that will focus on their individual requirements at and around the Säntis mountain in the north eastern part of Switzerland. 

“We have some riders who either have no racing commitments at the moment, or otherwise are looking towards preparing for the Tour of Switzerland and the Tour de France,” explained Marcello Albasini, who is one of the coaches for IAM Cycling.

The six participating riders from IAM Cycling are going to be training according to the “Live High – Train Low” axiom, and as such will be spending as much time as possible at the Säntis summit, while descending down into the beautiful valley for training rides.

“This training method has been proven to increase the body’s capacity to take in and process oxygen, thereby enabling an increased performance level,” Albasini continued.  “The Säntis offers the advantage that the riders can stay at a high altitude when not on the bike, and then work still at full intensity when we descend each day into the valley for training.  Logistically, also, training at the Säntis mountain is ideal for us.  Most of the riders could get here without having to travel too far, which is always important.”

2502.  That is the number of meters above sea level of the Säntis peak.  That is pretty much the altitude that the six riders will be staying during their time on the mountain when they are not on their bikes.

For Martin Elmiger and Stef Clement, the classics season ended abruptly this year.  Elmiger broke his left scaphoid on April 3rd at the Tour of Flanders, and two weeks later, Clement broke his right collarbone at the Amstel Gold Race.  Both are now back on the bike and preparing at the Säntis training camp for their comebacks. 

“The doctor gave me the all-clear to begin proper training again,” Elmiger, who lives in Zug, Switzerland, explained.  “For ten days after the crash, I could not ride my bike, and then after that, I could only get on the fixed indoor trainer.  Slowly, I am getting better, and I hope that I can still deliver some strong results this season,” Elmiger confidently confirmed.  He will be pinning on a number again at the Tour of Belgium that will run from May 25th to May 29th.

Dutchman Stef Clement will be starting his comeback race a little later than Elmiger, since he will be on the roster for the Tour of Luxembourg from June 1st to June 5th. 

“Three weeks ago, after I had only just been operated on, the doctors said I would have to wait three weeks before I could do any more riding on the road.  It has all worked out, and just yesterday, Wednesday, I was able to ride on the road for the first time since the accident,” Clement confirmed. 

Unfortunately, these three weeks of rest did not go perfectly well. 

“At first I could ride on the home trainer.  But during the second week, I picked up a stomach flu, and then last week I was able to begin training again and do physiotherapy.  It’s still not perfect, but I hope that I can make some real progress during these three weeks training on the Säntis.”

Riders:

Marcel Aregger (S)

Stef Clement (Ned)

Dries Devenyns (Bel)

Martin Elmiger (S)

Mathias Frank (S)

Reto Hollenstein (S)