They didn't plan to do so but it seems that IAM Cycling has decided to take the step to the WorldTour level in 2015. Biciciclismo reports that the team will be the 18th and final team at the top level.

With the license, IAM Cycling will have access to all the biggest races, most notably the Tour de France, and will no longer be reliant on wildcards or have to pay for their participation. Instead, the team will receive starting fees of 50,000 euros for each of the grand tours and 16,000 euros for a classic like Paris-Roubaix, amounting to between 300,000 and 400,000 for riding the best races on the schedule. Furthermore, they may be able to increase their sponsorships and will not longer have to persuade organizers to invite them. The step logicalle forces them team to increase its budget, hire more riders and more directors and take a detailed look at their calendar. According to Biciclismo, everything is in place and the official confirmation from the UCI should be given in the near future.

The UCI has an open spot in the first division of 18 teams after the merger between Garmin and Cannondale. Both when it comes to the sporting level and the economic potential, IAM was the obvious candidate. After two years at the pro continental level, they have decided to take the opportunity even though they had signed Sylvain Chavanel to open the doors to many races, including the Tour de France. That will no longer be necessary.

IAM now needs to reinforce there squad. The minimum requirement is 23 riders - they already had 26 in 2014 - and even though they have not officially announced any signing yet, it is known that at least 8 riders will join the team: Jerome Coppel (Cofidis), Stef Clement (Belkin) Dries Devenyns (Giant-Shimano), Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia), Jonas Van Genechten (Lotto-Belisol) and Thomas Degand (Wanty-Gobert) plus neo-pros Clement Chevrier and Simon Pellaud. The Norwegian talent Sondre Holst Enger Enger joined the team in August.

Chavanel and Mathias Frank will again be the leaders in 2015. Furtermore, they can count on Matteo Pelucchi in the sprints and Heinrich Haussler in classics. Hour Record holder Matthias Brändle, Jerome Pineau, Johann Tschopp, Vicente Reynés, Stefan Denifl and talented climber Sebastien Reichenback will also continue with the team.