Mission accomplished for IAM Cycling at the Tour du Limousin

IAM Cycling successfully navigated the hilly and winding roads around Corrèze today.  In Chamboulive at the end of the 182.9 kilometer long queen stage of the Tour du Limousin, Martin Elmiger managed to defend his yellow jersey which he won on the first day of the event.

Not only that, but Sébastien Reichenbach earned himself a strong 10^th place on the stage, which was won by Matthieau Ladagnous (FDJ).  Already having taken 4^th at the recent Tour de l’Ain, Reichenbach was obviously showing promising form and was glad to capitalize on it.

“Everything is going very well and I am satisfied with my sensations.  Today, we all worked really well to keep the yellow jersey on Martin’s shoulders.  This was no easy task.  There were many climbs, including the last one which had pitches up to 20% gradients and really steamrolled the pack.  In the early sections of the stage, Marco Bandiera, Stefan Denifl and Pirmin Lang controlled the front of the pack to keep the breakaway in check.  And then Thomas Löfkvist and I protected the yellow jersey into the finale.  Personally, I was well placed and managed to finish 10^th without really having been trying for the win.  The most important thing was to keep the yellow jersey on the eve of the arrival in Limoges.”   

Before heading off to his recovery massage, Martin Elmiger praised the work of his teammates, though he does not want to think his overall victory is a done deal.

“I must take my hat off to the whole team.  What they have done is wonderful.  It was not at all inevitable that I would end today in yellow.  Happily, I had even better legs today than I had on Wednesday.  So I was able to follow the attackers in that crazy final.  There was more to control over the course.  And now I can concentrate on the final stage.  It is always stressful and I’ll have to seal the deal.  Although I am a very experienced rider by now, and I have had the chance to defend race leads in the past, every situation is always different.  I know that I can count on the full support of the entire team.  We have everything to win now from the Tour du Limousin.”