His comeback was announced on Wednesday. Ten years after having earned his victory at the 4 Days of Dunkirk in the colors of Brioches La Boulangère, Sylvain Chavanel, who won the event in 2002, finds himself again leading his squad, which this time is the ambitious Swiss IAM Cycling team.  As recently as this past week at the Tour of Romandie, the team that will be led by Eddy Seigneur and Mario Chiesa proved it is an interesting group.

 

Having been hampered by asthmatic bronchitis during the spring classics, Sylvain Chavanel will be happy to return to the roads where he sparkled early in his professional career. 

 

“I am looking forward to Dunkirk.  My form is impeccable.  For the past 8 or 9 days, I have had excellent feelings in my legs.  That helps me look forward to being back in serious competition. 

 

"Training is one thing, but nothing is like racing.  Finally I’ll be able to put on a race number and take things day by day. 

 

"Definitely this is a tough race because there is a stage where we have to negotiate pavés that are situated five kilometers from the finish, and we have to tackle them four times during the stage.  That means that the 4 Days of Dunkirk will be the first in a series of races that I will ride with the intention of building for the greatest goal of the season, which is the Tour de France.”

 

Marcel Aregger (S), Sylvain Chavanel (F), Kevyn Ista (Bel), Dominic Klemme (All), Roger Kluge (All), Gustav Larsson (Su), Matteo Pelucchi (It), Jérôme Pineau (F).