Thursday 11 December 2014 19:23, UK
IAM Cycling have unveiled ten new signings ahead of their debut season on the UCI WorldTour.
The Swiss team, who have been racing for only two years, were handed a place in cycling’s top tier last week and have bolstered their ranks in order to meet the more demanding schedule.
Their riders will have to race an estimated average of six more days in 2015 than they did on the Professional Continental Tour in 2014 – up from 66 to 72 – and managers have consequently expanded the roster to 29.
Stef Clement and David Tanner have both signed from Belkin, while Dries Devenyns and Jerome Coppel will join from Giant-Shimano and Cofidis respectively.
Other new recruits include Jarlinson Pantano from Team Colombia, Larry Warbasse from BMC Racing, Jonas van Genechten from Lotto Belisol and Thomas Degand from Wanty-Groupe Gobert.
IAM Cycling have also signed two new first-year professionals: Clement Chevrier and Simon Pellaud.
The new arrivals will support existing established names in the squad, particularly Mathias Frank, who will lead the team’s challenge in stage races, and Sylvain Chavanel and Heinrich Haussler, who will spearhead their one-day hopes.
Rik Verbrugghe, the team’s new operational sports manager, said: “IAM Cycling does not intend to over-burden the riders on the team simply because we have reached this new level.
“With 29 riders under contract including three neo-pros, we will certainly manage to keep our promises and offer a race schedule that will satisfying everyone.”
Of IAM Cycling's promotion to the WorldTour, Michel Thetaz, chief executive of IAM Funds and founder of the team, said: "This is the culmination of all the work we have done since the birth of IAM Cycling in spring 2012. We have made every effort in order to meet this challenge and achieve this ambitious goal."
Marcel Aregger, Matthias Brandle, Sylvain Chavanel, Clement Chevrier, Stef Clement, Jerome Coppel, Thomas Degand, Stefan Denifl, Dries Devenyns, Martin Elmiger, Sondre Holst Enger, Mathias Frank, Jonathan Fumeaux, Heinrich Haussler, Reto Hollenstein, Roger Kluge, Pirmin Lang, Jarlinson Pantano, Simon Pellaud, Matteo Pelucchi, Jerome Pineau, Sebastien Reichenbach, Vicente Reynes, Aleksejs Saramotins, Patrick Schelling, David Tanner, Jonas van Genechten, Larry Warbasse, Marcel Wyss.
