This announcement already hit the newswires a couple of days ago, but Lampre-Merida formally announced today that the team has come to an agreement to sign Chris Horner for the 2014 season.
The decision to include the classy American rider in the team’s roster was made after management of the Lampre-Merida team consulted with the main sponsors, medical staff and technical staff.
Horner, born in 1971, has achieved 53 successes in his career, the most recent being winning the overall general classification of the 2013 Vuelta.
Horner brings class and a wealth of great experience, and the American rider is one of the most important and interesting stage race riders in todays world of cycling.
These characteristics will help LAMPRE-MERIDA confront the three week stage races with even more quality than it already has.
Team Manager Brent Copeland had to say the following about the new signing:
“We are really pleased to announce the news of Chris joining our team, Chris will be the first American rider to ride for this historical team of more than 20 years in sponsorship.
This is an important step for us towards making the team even more so international which i feel is important in the modern world of cycling, a step which I feel will bring a lot of interest from the USA, with Chris being the exciting rider that he is we are looking forward to getting some good feedback from this market.
Horner is technically a great rider, excellent climber and one of the most intelligent riders in the group who will fit nicely in with our team riding for overall GC at the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta together with the other GC riders who have been these races in there race calendars.
Technical staff and riders who have ridden with Chris in the past confirm his ability, intelligence and willingness to work together with the team, this brings great value to our young riders who we invest a lot in and know that we can count on Chris to show them all his experience and knowledge gained during his quality career as a bike rider.
Chris is not a young rider as we know however I fully believe in his quality and capability to show his full potential, and whom I honestly believe will make up an important part of our team”.
Horner will probably debut in Challenge Mallorca (9-12 February).
Ron Callahan is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.