The rising sun will shine on LAMPRE-MERIDA in 2016, thanks to the transfer of Yukia Arashiro who, after having signed an agreement with team manager Brent Copeland, will become the first Japanese rider ever in the history of the blue-fuchsia-green team.

Arashiro, who was born in Ishigaki in 1984, is accustomed to records, being a rider who has written history of the Japanese professional cycling movement: he was the first Japanese rider to complete a Tour de France (2009), to be in the top 5 of a Grande Boucle stage (5th in the 2nd stage of the 2009 Tour de France, Monaco-Brignoles) and to be in the top 3 of a Giro d’Italia stage (3rd in the Novara-Novi Ligure, 5th stage of the 2010 Giro); moreover, he’s the only one Japanese rider to obtain a place in the top 10 of a Classic race (10th in the 2014 Amstel Gold Race). Pro since 2006, he has obtained 7 victories, participating in 5 Tours de France, 2 Giri d’Italia and 1 Vuelta a Espana.

“LAMPRE-MERIDA signed a riders who’s an icon of Asian cycling, one of the most important athletes of the whole Japanese cycling history, a country in which cycling is very popular,"Brent Copeland explained. "Arashiro extends through high quality level the frontiers of he Asian cycling, obtaining important results and collecting experience.

"That are the reasons why he’s very appreciated in Europe and he’s loved in Japan: also thanks to Merida, we succeeded in signing the agreement which allows Yukiya to race with LAMPRE-MERIDA in 2016.

"Relying on his experience and his skills, which helped him to obtain 17th place in the World Championships in Richmond, he’ll for sure be a quality additional rider for the blue-fuchsia-green group.

"Our team always received a warm support by the Japanese fans and it has a good tradition of participation, with 9 victories, in the Japanese races: we’re happy that in 2016 we’ll havea Japanese cyclist for the first time."

"I'll become a member of a team with a great tradition and I'll be the team mate of great riders: this is a great pleasure for me," Arashiro said.

"In Team LAMPRE-MERIDA I'll have the opportunity for continuing to demonstrate that the Japanese riders and Asian riders have the potential to achieve top results, so I'm looking forward to the future in the blue-fuchsia-green team with many expectations.

"I'm sure I'll learn a lot in this team with such a long tradition and I'd like to inspire many young Asian riders. I'm grateful to the team and to the sponsor who supported me and I thank my new team and my new sponsors for having decided to start a cooperation with me. 

"This is an important step for me, the future is full of hope in LAMPRE-MERIDA!"