IAM Cycling ambitious for the Santos Tour Down Under

THE INFO  IAM Cycling will be flying to Adelaide on January 9, 2016. Once they have arrived, the riders will do their best to overcome the nine and a half hour time difference in order to be able to complete the workouts that directeur sportif Kjell Carlström will lay out for them in order to have the squad ready and competitive starting on January 17th in time for the criterium that will be raced around the streets of Adelaide.

THE STATEMENT  “2016 will be a year of action for our strong and well established team culture.” Michel Thétaz, CEO of IAM (manager of the IAMFUNDS.CH investment firm), wants to see his riders on center stage early in the new season.   

ANALYSIS  IAM Cycling Sports Manager, Rik Verbrugghe, sets the tone for his protégés even before the first pedal stroke of the year: “We have to be up to the level of the WorldTour.  In Australia, we will bring together a great team with more than one opportunity for success.  We have strengthened the lead-out train in order to give Matteo Pelucchi the greatest chance for success.  And Jarlinson Pantano has what it takes to finish in the top-5 overall.”

REMEMBER  IAM Cycling did more than just fill up the spaces in January last year racing around the Adelaide region.  Heinrich Haussler succeeded in taking 5th place in the opening criterium before grabbing 2nd, 4th, and 5th places in the TDU stages.  Meanwhile, Jarlinson Pantano climbed to 9th place overall in the race that was won by Rohan Dennis (BMC).

THE NUMBER  23.  The number of days that IAM Cycling will spend in Oceania, as the only Swiss member of the WorldTour, before competing in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race, which is scheduled for January 31st, over the same course around Geelong that was used for the World Road Race Championships in 2010.

LINE UP

Marcel Aregger (S)

Leigh Howard (Aus)

Roger Kluge (All)

Jarlinson Pantano (Col)

Matteo Pelucchi (It)

Aleksejs Saramotins (Let)

David Tanner (Aus)

SPORTS DIRECTOR  Kjell Carlström

People’s Choice Classic (January 17th)

Critérium in Adelaïde 51 km (9h30 – 10h30 swiss time)

Santos Tour Down Under (January 17th to 24th)

Tuesday 19: Prospect – Lyndoch, 130,8 km (2h30 – 5h04 swiss time)

Wednesday 20: Unley – Stirling, 132 km (2h30 – 5h03)

Thursday 21: Glenelg – Campbelltown, 139 km (2h30 – 5h14)

Friday 22: Norwood – Victor Harbor, 138 km (3h – 5h36)

Saturday 23: McLaren Vale – Willunga Hill, 151,5 km (2h40 – 5h32)

Sunday 24: Adelaïde – Adelaïde, 90 km (4h30 – 6h30)

Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race (Januray 31st)

Geelong – Geelong 174 km (2h30 – 6h45)