Today IAM debuted in the Vuelta a Espana when they rolled down the ramp for the opening team time trial. Having finished the stage in 17th, the team was left with mixed emotions.

IAM Cycling began the 2014 Tour of Spain with a decent 17th place, 40 seconds behind the winning squad in the demanding and dangerous 12 kilometer team time trial that kicked off the race.  Movistar took top honors with Cannondale six seconds in arrears; as a result, Jonathan Castroviejo donned the first leader’s red jersey.  To its credit, the Swiss Pro Continental team managed a better time than teams with deeper pockets such as Europcar, Garmin Sharp and FDJ.fr.

Marcello Albasini, one of the directeurs sportifs along with Mario Chiesa, emphasized the progress that the team could make in order to save precious seconds. 

“My first feeling is that I am both pleased and a little disappointed.  Disappointed because I am convinced that we have the resources to do better.  We started too slowly and then Dominic Klemme had a problem with his chain.  Then the headwind hit and made it tough on the guys in the final. 

"But we must also address the merits of these riders who are doing this sort of thing for the first time at this high level.  They managed to give the best of themselves in a very difficult discipline made even more dangerous by the layout of the course, and they are not yet experts at an event like this.”