LAMPRE-MERIDA's technical staff has selected the nine riders of the line-up for the Tour de France, which will take place from July 2nd to July 24th.
Sports directors Philippe Mauduit and Mario Scirea who'll be supported by Daniele Righi, will count on:
- Arashiro Yukiya: 31 years old, Japanese, 5 apprearances at the Tour
- Bono Matteo, 32 years old, Italian, 4 appearances in the Tour
- Cimolai Davide: 26 years old, Italian, 3 appearances in the Tour
- Costa Rui: 29 years old, Portuguese, 7 appearances in the Tour and 3 stage victories
- Durasek Kristijan: 28 years old, Croatian, 2 appearances in the Tour
- Grmay Tsgabu Gebremaryam: 24 years old, Ethiopian, rookie
- Meintjes Louis: 24 years old, South African, 1 appearance in the Tour
- Pibernik Luka: 22 years old, Slovenian, rookie
- Polanc Jan: 24 years old, Slovenian, rookie
Substitutes: Mattia Cattaneo and Mario Costa.
The team is expected to be led by Rui Costa and Louis Meintjes in the mountains where they will be supported by Jan Polanc, Tsgabu Grmay and Kristijan Durasek. Davide Cimolai will be the protected sprinter and will be able to rely on Yukiya Arashiro and Luka Pibernik for the lead-outs. Matteo Bono will be the capitain du route.
Seven nations and three continents will be represented in the selection of LAMPRE-MERIDA: Croatia, Ethiopia, Japan, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and South Africa; Africa, Asia and Europe.
The average age of the selection is 26.6 years.
Three riders will debut in the Grand Boucle: the two Slovenian young guns Pibernik and Polanc and Ethiopian Grmay, whose participation will be historic because he'll be the first cyclist from Ethiopia to participate in the Tour de France.
Arashiro has already marked two records in 2009, when he was the first Japanese rider ever to be in the top 5 of a stage in the Tour de France and to complete the Grande Boucle.
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