The Lampre-Merida selection that will take part in the second edition of the Dubai Tour, will soon be announced, but the team has revealed that the Arabian race will be the seasonal debut of the Chinese rider Xu Gang and the first race with Lampre-Merida for Taiwanese Chun Kai Feng.

“I spent the winter in China, training hard for starting the season in a good condition," Xu Gang pointed out. "I chose to train in the Yunnan zone at 2000m of altitude: pedaling on my Merida Reacto Evo I could train in a good weather, the temperature was amazing, not below 20° and it allowed me to perform the whole training program that former cycling champion Michele Bartoli, the team training consultant, made for me.

"I feel that my condition is good to start the second season in the blue-fuchsia-green jersey. The 2015 will begin in the Dubai Tour, a race I never took part in. My aim is to approach the race with the necessary attitude: the courses of the stages won’t be so demanding, but the crosswind will be a danger.

"My role will be to make a good work for the team in the early part of the stage and in view of the sprint to support the fast riders of the team. I’ll also try to be ready to join breakaway just after the start."