A few days ago it was announced that the IAM Cycling Team has received a wildcard invitiation for the Tour de France. General manager Michel Thetaz celebrates the decision and admits that La Grande Boucle had almost become an obsession but has now set his sights on a wildcard for the Vuelta a Espana.

In its first year of existence, the highly ambitious IAM team missed out on selection for a grand tour but with a successful season now in the legs, the team remained confident that they would get entry to a three-week race in 2014. After missing out on an invitation to the Giro d'Italia, the team got confirmation that they will be part of the Tour de France in July.

With the signing of Sylvain Chavanel and Jerome Pineau, it was a common perception that the wildcard was almost a formality. Nonetheless, general manager Michel Thetaz is happy to have received confirmation - even at a rather early time in the season.

“For me, the Tour de France has become an obsession," he said. " Today we received confirmation of the validity of our work throughout our first season in the peloton last year.  The team is well organized and we have a great coaching and support staff.  This means that our invitations from the ASO to the Tour de France, Paris-Nice and the Dauphiné Libéré have brought us pure joy.  I would like to give my sincere thanks to the organizers for their gesture of confidence.”

With the team failing to get entry to the Giro, the invitation is even more important as the team had a pre-season objective of doing two grand tours. Thetaz confirms that the team is now fully focused on getting a wildcard for the final three-week race of the season, the Vuelta a Espana.

“We started the season with the goal of participating in two major national tours.," he said. "To accomplish this, we do not have to look for additional revenue.  The main sponsor, IAM will have a unique profile and we will not need to fall back on a co-sponsor to complete our full calendar.”

In addition to Chavanel and Pineau, the team has strengthened its roster by signing GC rider Mathias Frank and fastmen Roger Kluge and Vicente Reynes. They join a squad that already has the likes of Thomas Löfkvist, Heinrich Haussler, Gustav Erik Larsson, Martin Elmiger, Johann Tschopp, Sebastien Hinault and highly talented Sebastien Reichenbach in its ranks, with the team being widely described as the strongest pro continental team on the circuit.

It has not yet been announced when the Vuelta wildcards will be handed out.