Going into the Route du Sud, IAM sports director Mario Chiesa said that the Pyrenean race could be a bit too tough for his team. His prediction proved to be a correct one as the team had no rider in the 40-rider peloton that sprinted for second behind winner Jesus Herrada.

Team Movistar succeeded in winning the daily double at the first stage of the Route du Sud.  Jesus Herrada soloed in for the win just seconds ahead of the reduced pack made up of around three dozen riders.  His teammate, countryman and team leader, Alejandro Valverde took the sprint for second. 

IAM Cycling, however, was not involved at the front of affairs.  Directeur sportif for the Swiss Pro Continental team, Mario Chiesa, commented frankly that this was a difficult day to say the least. 

“We missed the race.  I do not yet understand the reasons, except that the heat proved stifling at the base of the Pyrenees.  When Movistar lit the fuse, attacking a climb at 40 km/h, we only had three riders in a front group of sixty. 

"And then when the crunch really came, it was first Dominic Klemme who was dropped, then Sylvain Chavanel and finally Sébastien Hinault.  The guys cracked one after the other. 

"That worries me for the rest of the race since we still are facing a climb up the Tourmalet with a summit finish at Val Louron on Saturday.  I hope we can get a handle on whatever is wrong since today, there was no one in the group who could even try to sprint against Valverde.”