It All Starts Here

On Saturday, the 17th of January, the 2015 cycling season will kick off in Australia when the top tier teams take to the road again. The first test on the World Tour will take place at the Santos Tour Down under.

Having been promoted to the premier class in professional cycling following two successful years as a Pro Continental team, IAM Cycling wants to make an immediate impression along with their new status. Meanwhile, ORICA-GreenEDGE will drive a strong seven-man team with an aggressive mindset and stage win aspirations.

Australia‘s 2011 Santos TDU under 23 champion Cameron Meyer, 2012 Vuelta a Espana king of the mountain Simon Clarke, 2013 Australian champion Luke Durbridge, 2014 national time trial champion Michael Hepburn and vital team leader and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Mathew Hayman will all line up for their home World Tour race.

Joining them is New Zealand’s Sam Bewley and South African Daryl Impey.

“The Tour Down Under is a big race for us,” sport director Matt White said. “We always look forward to racing at home for our Australian fans and putting on a show for them. This year will be no different.”

A strong ride by the team in last week’s Australian championship and Bewley’s impressive ride for fourth at the New Zealand championship sees White confident in the team’s form ahead of the first World Tour race of the season.“

Everyone in our team raced on Sunday except for Daryl Impey and they all proved they have prepared well over the past couple of months and are ready to chase the goals we are going to set for the Tour Down Under,” White said.

For the recently crowned World Tour Team, IAM Cycling wants to make an immediate impression in view of their new status.  With riders like Martin Elmiger, Heinrich Haussler and company on hand, the team feels like it has a great chance.  Michel Thétaz, founder of IAM Cycling and CEO of IAM Funds, is convinced that now is a good time to talk about the ambitions of his team.

“The emotion and satisfaction of getting a World Tour license is part of the past.  Now we stop celebrating and knuckle down to the task.  In view of our commitments, we have strengthened the group of riders as well as the staff.  It’s important that we now build on the strong fighting spirit we espoused at the team presentation in early December.  I am certain that the Santos Tour Down Under will give us the chance we need to highlight the team’s strengths.  Since the beginning of the IAM Cycling team, I have promoted this anti-star system.  We want all the riders to be involved in the success of the chosen leader for the various situations.” 

Michel Thétaz: “The Santos Tour Down Under represents the first test for the IAM Cycling wolves.”

On the Australian roads, IAM Cycling will have two riders resplendent in national champion’s jerseys following Heinrich Haussler’s recent victory at the Australian national road race championships, in addition to Martin Elmiger’s Swiss champion’s jersey, which he won in June 2014.  Michel Thétaz joined in rejoicing the Australian puncher’s new title.  

“The Santos Tour Down Under will be the first test that the IAM Cycling wolf pack will face to see whether all our hard work will pay off.  And if there are adjustments that need to be made, we will have time to do the necessary work, if need be.  But it is true that we could not have had a better start to the season than with this title that Heino won.  Not only is it great for the team, but it is so important for a rider like Heino who has put in so much work on his side to get into the best condition possible for this season start.  And I will be very proud to see two national champion’s jerseys within the IAM Cycling team for the coming months.”