Lampre-Merida have selected their roster for the Tour Down Under. The team will line up sprinters Niccolo Bonifazio, Roberto Ferrari and Davide Cimolai while Kristijan Durasek will target the GC.

It's almost time for the first WorldTour race of the year and Lampre-Merida again hopes to animate the elite world of cycling. The first race takes place in Australia when the Tour Down Under opens the elite league from January 20 to 25. On January 18, the exact same field will warm up at the Down Under Classic.

Lampre-Merida have selected 6 established riders and one rookie for the race and will leave Europe on January 11. The newcomer is Ethiopian climber Tsgabu Grmay who has been training in Africa and should be acclimatized to the high temperatures in Australia.

The rest of the team will include Croatian Kristijan Durasek and Italians Nicholas Bonifazio, Matteo Bono, David Cimolai, Roberto Ferrari and Manuele Mori.

The team will be balanced between fast riders - with the trio Bonifazio-Cimolai-Ferrari set to shine in the bunch sprints - and GC rider Durasek, with Grmay being a possible surprise. Veterans Mori and Bono will guide the troops on the road.

Special attention should be drawn towards Bonifazio who took five wins in 2014, his first season as a professional.