Ceramica Flaminia confirmed as development team for Team Saxo-Tinkoff

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Team Saxo-Tinkoff has confirmed that the Italian-based Ceramica Flaminia Continental team will act as its development squad in 2013.

Ceramica Flaminia announced it was returning to professional cycling on November 12 and named five of its 12-rider roster, including Robert Squire of the USA and Australia's Patrick Lane.

The team will be based in Lucca, Tuscany, where Team Saxo-Tinkoff owner Bjarne Riis lived for many years. Roberto Marrone will be team manager, with Riccardo Forconi as directeur sportif.

Team Saxo-Tinkoff team trainer Giuseppe Toni – who also lives in Lucca, will be involved in the coaching, testing and training of the riders. As part of the agreement the Ceramica Flaminia brand will appear on the Team Saxo-Tinkoff jersey.

"For quite some years I have wanted to create a professional development team based in Lucca, where our team has a strong foundation being the home city of many of our riders and our team trainer. Ceramica Flaminia offered us both the financial support needed and a setup that hopefully will allow us to develop coming star riders of Team Saxo-Tinkoff. So I'm really looking forward to seeing the team progress from here," Riis said in a statement announcing the agreement.

Ceramica Flaminia will announce its full rider roster and technical sponsors in the next few weeks.