Swiss outfit IAM Cycling has significantly bolstered its roster for 2014 with the signing of Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel from the Omega Pharma-QuickStep squad.
Triple Tour de France stage winner Chavanel was one of a raft of new signings announced by IAM Cycling on Thursday, in a list that also includes Mathias Frank, Roger Kluge, Jérôme Pineau and Vicente Reynes.
Chavanel's signing will increase IAM Cycling's chances of gaining a WorldTour berth in future seasons - the squad is currently racing with a UCI Professional Continental licence and has said that it will continue to do so in 2014. Presently, the squad relies on wildcard entries to gain access to the world's biggest races, including the Tour de France.
Although the squad didn't take part in the 2013 Tour, the presence of strong French riders Chavanel and Pineau should up the team's chances of being picked in 2014 when the race starts in Yorkshire.
Chavanel is a reliable performer, having won numerous stages, stage race overall and one-day events in a career that stretches back to 2000. 'Chava' has been with the Belgian QuickStep/Omega Pharma teams for the past five seasons.
Sylvain Chavanel: Greatest hits
2013
Paris-Nice; stage six
Paris-Nice; points classification
Three Days of De Panne; stage 3b ITT
Three Days of De Panne; overall
French national time trial champion
Eneco Tour; stage five ITT
2012
Three Days of De Panne; stage 3b ITT
Three Days of De Panne; overall
French national time trial champion
2011
French national road race champion
2010
Tour de France; stage two
Tour de France; stage seven
2009
Paris-Nice; stage three
Paris-Nice; points classification
Eneco Tour; prologue
Ronde d'Aix
2008
Tour de France; stage 19
Tour de France; super combativity award
Paris-Nice; stage seven
Tour of Catalonia; stage four
Tour of the Mediterranean; stage five
Dwars door Vlaanderen
Brabantse Pijl
French national time trial champion
2006
Tour du Poitou-Charentes et de la Vienne; overall
French national time trial champion
2005
Circuit de la Sarthe; overall
Circuit de la Sarthe; stage five
Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne; overall
Duo Normand (with Thierry Marichal)
French national time trial champion
2004
Tour of Belgium; overall
Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne; overall
Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne; stage three
Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne; stage four
Polynormande
2003
Circuit de la Sarthe; stage four
Tour du Haut Var
2002
Four Days of Dunkirk; overall
Trophée des Grimpeurs
Related links
Sylvain Chavanel: Rider profile
Pro cycling transfer round-up
