IAM Cycling saw Sylvain Chavanel take the team’s first podium place of the season on Saturday. The second podium place of the season came today, when Austrian Stefan Denifl followed Tour Mediteraneen winner Stephen Cummings and finished third on the stage of today.

French AG2R La Mondiale veteran Jean-Christophe Peraud took his first victory of the season, as we saw him in a rare role as winner. Bretagne rider Eduardo Sepulveda finished 5 seconds behind Peraud. Stefan Denifl and overall winner Stephen Cummings of BMC Racing team formed a little chasing group and tried to catch the two riders in front of them, but didn’t succeed.

A sprint for the last step on the podium took place and Denifl was the faster of the two. Even though he finished third on today’s stage, Denifl isn’t to find in the top 80 in the GC. He finished 82nd overall, almost 12 minutes behind Cummings. The best IAM rider in the final GC is Sylvain Chavanel, who finished 7th after a good TT on Saturday.

Denifl states he hasn’t had the best week. He crashed during the first stage and on the 223 km long stage, he wasn’t able to follow the peloton to the finish line.

“Finally I am reassured in my condition because I had a lot of doubts after the first stage, when I found myself flat on the street.  I did not have enough strength during the long stage of 223 kilometers with the wind and echelons.  But I am not discouraged.  The directors have encouraged me to continue with my efforts to progress.” 

He says Chavanel told him to go for his own chance and he did. When Sepulveda attacked, Denifl followed, but it was a little too early for him. He wasn’t able to keep up the pace and Peraud passed him.

“And today, even after a properly hard time trial, everything went well.  I attacked the climb in 30th position.  And I stayed with our leader Sylvain Chavanel to help as much as possible.  It was him who told me to take my chance, so I managed to hang with the best riders.  And then it all exploded at the top.  My mistake was that I attacked too early.  I found myself behind a Bretagne-Séché rider but in front of Peraud and Cummings. “

He also says the result of today’s stage will help him build up his confidence ahead of the Tour du Haut-Var.

“They then came back to me and I couldn’t hold Peraud’s wheel when he made his final attack.  But I managed to stay ahead of Cummings.  That is a great satisfaction that will help me build confidence for the Tour du Haut-Var.”