Published December 3, 2015 12:18PM
Mapei Sport returns to cycling with Trek Factory Racing
Mapei Sport will partner with Trek Factory Racing in 2016 after a 14-year absence from the upper echelon of pro cycling.
Mapei sponsored one of cycling's top teams in the late 1990s but has been absent from the WorldTour for 14 years. Photo: Tim De Waele | <a href="http://tdwsport.com" target="_blank">TDWsport.com</a> (File).
After 14 years away, Mapei Sport, an Italian research center based in Milan, is returning to the top echelon of pro cycling, partnering with Trek Factory Racing.
“I’m very happy with this partnership,” said Trek general manager Luca Guercilena, who was previously part of Mapei’s center for 10 years as a coach. “Mapei Sport is one of the best sports science centers in the world, so this is a great opportunity for everyone involved. They are a leader in research, just like Trek, and research is the way to go. I’m a strong believer in improvement, and I know Mapei Sport likes to look at the future and study how things can be done better. I’m convinced that our philosophies will match.”
“I’m very excited that Mapei Sport reappears in the world of professional cycling thanks to Luca Guercilena, who is arguably the best team manager you can wish for thanks to his background as a sports scientist,” said Dr. Giorgio Squinzi, CEO and founder of Mapei Sport.
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Mapei’s eponymous pro team (sponsored by the Mapei company, which is separate from the sport center) was formidable in the late 1990s, but its legacy was tarnished by doping scandals surrounding former riders Johan Museeuw and Stefano Garzelli. For his part, Squinzi has been a vocal advocate for strong anti-doping measures.