With a stage victory won with panache for Sylvain Chavanel, and second place overall which the motivated and united team worked very hard for while trying to dislodge Arnaud Démare (FDJ.fr), IAM Cycling leaves 4 Days of Dunkirk on a high.  Even during the final stage, won by Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar), the Swiss Pro Continental team took over the responsibilities of leading the peloton. 

 

Gustav Larsson, who in particular showed amazing power dragging the pack along for nearly 20 kilometers, as well as Roger Kluge and Kevyn Ista, worked themselves inside-out in an effort to catch the day’s breakaway and give Matteo Pelucchi a chance to sprint for the stage win.  The Italian IAM Cycling rider eventually finished 6th on the day, while the directeurs sportifs Mario Chiesa and Eddy Seigneur were happy to draw a lot of satisfaction from a hard week of racing where the weather succeeded in playing a major role.

 

Eddy Seigneur emphasized the collective strength of the IAM Cycling team in its efforts to channel Sylvain Chavanel, who had already won the race in 2002 and 2004, into a third overall victory at the 4 Days of Dunkirk. 

 

“I’m proud of my guys.  Today again, they gave everything they could and are completely spent in trying to win the stage.  Even if it was not enough in the end, and the escapees were able to hold out for a narrow margin of victory, it was still impressive. 

 

"If Matteo Pelucchi had not been pinned against the rails by a NetApp rider, he was on course to outsprint Arnaud Démare for the honor of taking the pack sprint and 5thplace.  So I take my hat off to them all. 

 

"Throughout the week of rain, cold and wind, we always highlighted the days with attacking style.  Sylvain Chavanel proved that he is in great condition after having had his illness during the spring classics.  He was the strongest of the race.  Unfortunately this time, FDJ.fr’s tactics won them the overall.”