Lampre-Merida have announced that they have signed a deal with the Italian time trial talent Filippo Ganna. The Italian will ride at the U23 level in 2015 but will receive full support from the WorldTour team.

Lampre-Merida have always been keen to sign young Italian talents and now the team has added another youngster to their roster. Filippo Ganna, born in 1996, has been scouted by the blue-fuchsia-green team.

An impressive build with a height of 193cm and a weight of 76kg, Ganna is one of the most promising young Italian talents thanks to his excellent qualities as a time trialist and rider on the flats. The proof of his talent is shown with 4 victories in 2014 in the junior category, wearing the jersey of "Team Aspiratori Otelli Mastercrom". One of these important victories was the Italian national time trial champion.
Ganna was part of the Italian national team both on the road (with an excellent performance in Paris-Roubaix for juniors) and on the track.
In 2015, the young talent will ride for "Team Viris Maserati" under the close supervision of Lampre-Merida that will monitor his progression.

"This confirms the continuation in which our philosophy at Team Lampre-Merida shows the attention we put into scouting young talent. With Ganna we continue our project which we are sure will bring interesting attention as it has done with the example of Bonifazio and Conti," team manager Brent Copeland said. "The qualities of Filippo shows excellent prospect with an enormous margin of improvement."

 
"It is important to note that the skills of Ganna as a time triallist and as a rider for the Northern classics are a precious asset for the future of Italian cycling.

"Filippo will have all the tranquillity and space needed to work with his team in the Under 23 category, knowing that he can find professional support from Lampre-Merida in any way needed in order to share any advice and feedback, thanks also to the relationship with Doctor Carlo Guardascione who's our director of the medical staff and who has always been the doctor in the teams in which Filippo has been."

Filippo Ganna is very satisfied with the agreement: "Lampre-Merida have always supported me in my cycling activity, giving me help by providing cycling material and good advice. Even if I've been contacted by other pro teams, the choice of putting my trust in the blue-fuchsia-green team was obvious and makes me very happy, also because the team has always shown skills in the management of young riders.

"This year I'll focus my attention on the activity of team Viris Maserati and I know I'll have the opportunity to receive the support from Lampre-Merida."