Lampre-Merida has reached a preliminary agreement with former Chinese champion Gang Xy to join the team for the 2014 season. The Champion System rider has previously ridden as a stagiaire for the team and will be back in their colours if he completes the medical check successfully.

Lampre-Merida has continued their habit of signing riders from parts of the world that are less familiar with cycling by announcing a preliminary agreement with Gang Xu. The current Champion System rider will join the Italian team for next season when he has completed the medical checks.

Already in 2006, Xu rode as a stagiaire for Lampre before joining Hong Kong Pro Cycling for the 2006 season when he won his first national championships. He was without a contract in 2007 but an overall win in the Tour of South China convinced Max Success Sports to sign the young Chinese talent.

He stayed there during the following three seasons and repeated his national championships win in 2009. He followed the team when it developed into a pro continental squad for the 2012 season and has had the chance to ride big races in Europe during the past two seasons. He won another national road race title last year.

With the announcement that Champion System will fold at the end of the season, Xu has been forced to find a new team. If things go according to plan at the medical check, he will be the first ever Chinese rider on Lampre-Merida.