Cristiano De Rosa alongside a new fleet(Image credit: Tim Maloney)
Ugo De Rosa, 2nd left, with his bike frames(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Bicycle manufacturer De Rosa will become a title sponsor for the first time, as it funds Giovanni Fidanza's new team, De Rosa-Stac Plastic in 2010. Fidanza will leave LPR Brakes and has started to build his new team from its former riders and staff, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Fidanza was one of the directors for Fabio Bordonali's LPR Brakes. He will bring 11 former LPR cyclists to the new De Rosa-Stac Plastic team, including Roberto Ferrari, Giairo Ermeti and Claudio Cucinotta.
Bordonali failed to find a replacement sponsor after the doping cases of Danilo Di Luca and Gabriele Bosisio this year.
Eddy Ratti and first year professionals Giorgio Brambilla, Gabriele Tassinari and Stefano Borchi will also join De Rosa-Stac Plastic. Fidanza will sign more riders in the next week.
De Rosa-Stac Plastic will be a second division, professional continental, team. The team are likely to ride mostly Italian races, including the Giro d'Italia.
De Rosa is one of Italy's most well known frame manufacturers. Founder Ugo De Rosa supplied frames for Eddy Merckx and the Belgian's team Molteni, who brought the manufacturer many wins. De Rosa has continued to supply frames to professional squads, this year for LPR Brakes and in 2008 to US squad Rock Racing.
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