The brand new IAM Cycling was one of the teams to be left disappointed when the Vuelta organizers today handed out the wild cards for this year's Spanish grand tour. The Swiss team accepts the decision by the organizers and vows to fight on to prove their worth in future races.

The new IAM Cycling team had a fantastic start to the season as it was invited to all major classics, the Paris-Nice and its big home races, the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse. However, the team also had an objective of taking part in a grand tour in its debut season but with the Vuelta organizers omitting the team from its wild card selection today, the squad will have to wait at least another year to make its grand tour debut.

Already back in January the team lost out to the local Androni, Bardiani and Vini Fantini teams as well as the Colombia squad in the battle for the wild cards for the Giro d'Italia. Instead the team turned its attention to the Tour de France where they hoped to line up established climbers like Thomas Löfkvist and Johann Tschopp.

Organizers ASO said in March that the Swiss team was one of 6 to be considered for the three wild cards but in the end they were overlooked as ASO chose to invite the local Europcar, Sojasun and Cofidis teams. As soon as they were informed of the decision, they contacted the Vuelta organizers Unipublic to let them know that the squad would be interested in a start in Spain.

It was always obvious that the only Spanish professional continental Caja Rural team would be invited and with Cofidis being a major sponsor for the Vuelta there was never any doubt that the French team would get their usual spot at the start line. IAM was left to fight for the last wild card with the NetApp-Endura team which got their grand tour debut in last year's Giro but lost out in the selection process for both the Giro and the Tour.

In the end the organizers preferred the German team and so IAM will have to focus on other races this autumn. The team's founder Michel Thetaz was disappointed to be informed of the omission but accepts the organizers' decision.

“Unsurprisingly the Vuelta chose NetApp as their final selection for the 2013 wild cards," he said. "However, the organizers have confirmed their interest in our team.  We were in contention for the final wild card.  Preference, however, was given to NetApp.  We acknowledge and respect the decision of the organizers."

"From our side, it should push us to exceed in all races we will contest to prove to the organizers what our true sporting value really is," he continued. " Of course, we are working to establish a program of races for the second part of the season, but are also making plans for 2014.” 

In the near future the team will focus on the Tour de Suisse which is the biggest race in their home country before making clear its targets for the autumn races.