IAM general manager Michel Thétaz continues to search for a co-sponsor to increase his budget for the next season. According to Velonews, the Swiss WorldTour team would like to continue in cycling but that the continued presence could depend on the result of the search.
"I always said to the riders and staff that I will give it until Mid-may to decide," Thétaz said to VeloNews. "I will take everything into consideration. In theory, we could stop the team. Yes, but we could also continue for 20 years. We have to be realistic."
He created his team in 2013 with the support of his company, Independent Asset Management (IAM). In 2013, the squad began with a modest $7.5 million budget at the Continental Pro level. In 2015, his team was upgraded to the WorldTour level. But with this promotion, the budget has increased significantly.
"It's a lot of my money? I like it. It's good for IAM, the product, good for me, and good for the cyclists. But we have to continue to progress. The key thing is continuing to grow. If not, it's money down the drain for a sponsor. I want to still find a co-sponsor and get credibility and visibility for the team. The riders want to win. We are close to some big wins, but we need resources to pull it off."
"The big teams have budgets around 20 million euros. You see the difference. We are ranked 12th in the WorldTour, but if we had big money, 20 million, then we could be up there with the top teams."
IAM Cycling is really competitive this season and has four wins, more than other WorldTour teams like Cannondale, LottoNL Jumbo, Ag2r La Mondiale, Lampre Merida, and Giant Alpecin. "I'm proud of the team's spirit, the way the team works together for one. They do that better than some of the big budget teams," added Thétaz. "And last year, we put a Swiss, Mathias Frank, in the top 10 of the Tour de France. It's been 17 years since weíve had a Swiss in the top 10."
Thetaz explained that he needs to find a co-sponsor or resources soon, preferably within a time frame of one month.
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