Lampre-ISD have announced that Australian rider Matthew Lloyd is to join the team for the 2012 and 2013 seasons after they offered him a two-year deal. The 28-year-old from Melbourne won the 2010 King of the Mountains classification at the 2010 Giro d'Italia before being released by Omega-Pharma-Lotto mid-way through last season for "behavioural reasons."
Lloyd subsequently competed in the Herald Sun Tour in his native Australia but has now been offered a ticket back to the big time, and the UCI WorldTour, by Lampre-ISD. He will become the first Australian to ride for them.
"Matthew is an athlete with potential," said Lampre-ISD general manager Giuseppe Saronni. "He could be an important element in our roster and he'll be useful supporting the team captain in the grand tours. He'll also be able to compete for himself in some of the toughest races."