IAM Cycling sparkles at Paris-Tours

The last race day of the season started badly for IAM Cycling.  Outside? Chartres, thieves broke into the team bus, smashing a door and breaking a?closet before making away with a radio, a cooler and, of all things, a ?Swiss army knife.  Meager booty compared to what other teams have lost?recently, and it in no way affected the morale of the strong eight riders?who set off today to give their boss, Michel Thétaz, founder and CEO of IAM?SA (www.iamfunds.ch) and IAM Cycling, one more big victory.  It would have?been their way of thanking him for his commitment and support throughout? this first year of the team’s existence.

Aleksejs Saramotins was the first? to strike a blow by joining three other riders in a breakaway after the?race had covered 35 kilometers.  Saramotins, Latvian national road?champion, was already at the first race of the season, along with Marcel?Aregger, at the GP La Marseillaise on January 27th.  Today he was out in?front for more than 220 kilometers and at one point had a gap of 11’35”.

“I? was there at the beginning of the season and I have succeeded in riding? well through till the final race of the year.  I am a little disappointed? not to have made it over that final climb at the front of the race.  Had I? succeeded in doing that, it might have changed the scenario at the end.  But? by then I was dead.”?

As a race for the *puncheurs* and sprinters, the day was decided in the ?hectic finale.  With this in mind, Eddy Seigneur instructed his riders to? look after the welfare of Heinrich Haussler, the designated leader.? Sébastien Hinault took the role of counter-attacker.  Marcel Aregger headed ?the pack to set the pace within sneezing distance of the line.  From there? Kevyn Ista, Kristof Goddaert and Marco Bandiera put their leader right in ?the perfect place on the wheels of Degenkolb and Démarre.  Already a winner?in Bourges on Thursday, the German sprinter from Argos-Shimano proved?unstoppable.

Haussler still found his way into a strong season-finale? 6th place.

“The guys have really gone that extra mile and I benefited from being in a ?good position.  Unfortunately, I found myself a little trapped against the ?barriers.  And even though I am no longer afraid after my fall at the Tour?of Switzerland, I am not as willing to commit everything regardless of how ?dangerous it gets, as I may have done a little more before breaking my hip.?I have reclaimed my best level, but today it was not enough to secure a ?podium place in Tours.”