Lampre-Merida has signed new world champion Rui Costa as team leader for the Tour de France and hilly Classics but lost stage race leader Michele Scarponi, who has signed with Astana. Filippo Pozzato remains as team leader for the cobbled classics, with Diego Ulissi confirming his talents for one-day races. New signings for 2014 include sprinter Sacha Modolo, China’s Gang Xu and Rafael Valls.
The team has been heavily implicated in a doping investigation in Mantova that is set to finally go to trial on December 10. The case is centred around pharmacist Guido Nigrelli, who is one of one of 27 people set to go to trial after a drawn-out investigation by Italian police.
Bike sponsor Merida joined forces with Lampre for the 2013 season, sparking the process of internalisation of the traditionally Italian team.
Lampre-Merida said Copeland will be “responsible for the management and organization of the team, both the staff and riders working in close contact with the sport directors for the sporting area, the medical staff and responsible for the training, logistics and race program.”
Giuseppe Saronni will stay with the team “focusing on the research and management of financial backers, sponsors and partners for the team.”
Immediate start
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Copeland will begin his new role immediately, working with head coach Michele Bartoli and the technical staff to plan and prepare for the 2014 season.
“The request of taking on the role of team manager makes me proud: Lampre has always been my Italian family, they welcomed me fifteen years ago, there has always been a special bond with the blue-fuchsia colors,” Copeland said in a statement from the team.
“The decision to accept this responsibility was easy, even if it was not based only on sentimental reasons. In fact, I appreciate being asked to be involved in the internationalization and the evolution of the team, an evolution which works towards finding the perfect balance of professionalism and organisation in the modern world of cycling. I’m ready and determined to help this transition and I know I can rely on a group of excellent people that are professional in each one of their areas of excellence.”
Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
