Tour de Suisse – Jérôme Coppel «This is an important proving ground if I want to earn my place at the Tour de France, which was my season goal before I had my crash»

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09 June 2015

IAM Cycling

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The prospect of earning a trip to the Tour de France mobilizes the attention of many and the strengths of others throughout the month of June. Directors of the teams invited to La Grande Boucle have the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré as well as the Tour of Switzerland to help refine the list of nine riders who will eventually be called to take the start in Utrecht on Saturday, July 4^th. Sports manager, Rik Verbrugghe will as a result be waiting until the evening of Sunday, June 21^st before discussing with his directeurs sportifs and then deciding which riders will represent the Swiss team in July.

IAM Cycling Mallorca Coppel Jérôme 2

Jérôme Coppel has not been able to race since he had his bad crash on April 9^th at the Tour of the Basque Country, where he broke his left hand and received 10 stitches to his left hip. He knows what problems will be facing him once he takes the start at the Tour of Switzerland. This will be an important proving ground if I want to earn my place at the Tour de France, which was my season goal before I had my crash. On May 18^th, I was able to resume training on the road, and for the moment, knock on wood, everything is going well. As soon as I got the green light, I went to Saisies to do a training camp. I worked hard. I am satisfied with my sensations, even if I know I am still missing the rhythm of racing. I will gain momentum and I think that I will have the advantage of freshness that will be beneficial in the month of July.

IAM Cycling Mallorca Coppel Jérôme

The 28 year old winner of the 2012 Etoile de Bessèges, and second in the 2014 edition of the race, Coppel will be expected to help his leaders for the general classification. Stefan Denifl and Sébastien Reichenbach will certainly be able to be among the top riders. My role will be to support them, and at the same time perhaps get a good result for myself in the prologue and the individual time trial. Im not too bad at doing time trials, and I will really know my way around the queen stage which ends at the Sölden summit.

Tour of Switzerland (Saturday, June 13^th to Sunday, June 21^st)
Saturday, June 13^th: Risch-Rotkreuz Risch-Rotkreuz, prologue 5.1 km (15h20 18h15)
Sunday, June 14^th: Risch-Rotkreuz Risch-Rotkreuz 161.1 km (13h50 17h39)
Monday, June 15^th: Brunnen (Quinto) Olivone 117 km (15h15 18h01)
Tuesday, June 16^th: Flims Schwarzenbach SG 193.2 km (13h10 18h01)
Wednesday, June 17^th: Unterterzen Sölden/Rettenbachgletscher 237.3 km (11h20 17h53)
Thursday, June 18^th: Wil SG Bienne 193.1 km (13h34 18h02)
Friday, June 19^th: Bienne Guin 164.6 km (14h09 18h04)
Saturday, June 20^th: Berne Berne 152.5 km (14h29 18h04)
Sunday, June 21^st: Berne Berne, 38.4 km individual time trial (14h10 17h50)