Late in the day as it is, with the season already a month old, but Lampre-ISD has announced the signing of five more Ukrainian riders to complete its 2012 roster. The Italian team joined up with Ukrainian co-sponsor ISD last year, but until now the only Ukrainian rider confirmed on this year’s team was Vitaliy Buts.
The five new riders bring Lampre-ISD’s rider numbers up, from a WorldTour minimum of 23 to a more comfortable 28, six of whom are now from the Ukraine. The announcement was made at the team’s training camp, which was financed by Mark Beygelzimer, director of ISD Sport.
Buts will be joined on the team this year by Denys Kostyuk, brothers Dmytro and Yuriy Krivstov, Oleskandr Kvachuk and Oleksandr Sheydyk. Kostuk, Dmytro Kryvtsov, and Kvachuk were on the team in 2011, having followed ISD from the ISD-Neri team [now Farnese Vini-Selle Italia – ed], but it has only now been confirmed that they will be staying.
Kvachuk was also on the Lampre team in 2004 and 2005 and, on his return last year, picked up both the Ukrainian road and time trial championships.
The biggest name among the five riders is Yuriy Krivtsov, the elder of the two brothers, who joins the team after eight years with AG2R La Mondiale. Having ridden for French teams since turning professional with Jean Delatour in 2002, Krivtsov now has a French passport and has been racing under a French license since January of last year.
The fifth name to join the team, 21-year-old Sheydyk, turns professional after four years at the ISD-Lampre Continental team.
The six riders pictured make up Lampre-ISD's Ukrainian contingent (l-r): Dmytro and Yuriy Krivtsov, Kostyuk, Kvachuk, Sheydyk and Buts.