In addition to their participation in two Belgian WorldTour races at the weekend (GP E3 and Gent-Wevelgem), IAM Cycling will have be competing in the Critérium International, having received an invitation from the organizers of the Tour de France, the ASO (Amaury Sport Organization).

The eight riders on the Swiss team will find out if their strengths are well-suited to the Corsican terrain. Kjell Carlström, the directeur sportif, confirmed the team’s commitment to figure prominently in the action throughout the two day, three stage event on Saturday and Sunday.

“Critérium International is an excellent race for this time of year, offering a sort of mini-rehearsal for larger stage races later on since you have a time trial and a summit finish. I hope that the weather will be more amenable than it was at Milan-San Remo. I will count on guys like Denifl, Fumeaux, Tschopp and Wyss to be very prominent among the main actors of the race, since they will be on their favourite stomping grounds, especially Sunday for the summit finish of the col de l’Ospedale.”

Stages

Saturday, March 23

Stage 1: Porto-Vecchio> Porto-Vecchio, 89 km

Stage 2: Porto-Vecchio> Porto Vecchio, 7 km (ITT)

Sunday, March 24

Stage 3: Porto-Vecchio> Col de l'Ospedale, 176 km

IAM roster:

Matthias Brändle (Aut), Rémy Cusin (Fra), Stefan Denifl (Aut), Jonathan Fumeaux (S), Alexandr Pliuschin (Mol), Patrick Schelling (S), Johann Tschopp (S), Marcel Wyss (S).