Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox has named a 17-strong squad of riders, on receiving confirmation of its Professional Continental status for 2014 last week. The Italian team, which is sponsored by two brands of the same corporation, has been in existence since it was formed as Termolan in 1982, but will have an average age of 24 years next season.
This season saw the team take eleven victories, with the highlight being the Enrico Battaglin’s win in the fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia, while climber Stefano Pirazzi took the Corsa Rosa's mountains classification.
“We are ready to start the new season, which we expect will be positive as the last,” said team manager Bruno Reverberi. “We are an italian team, and for this reason our first goal will be take Wild Cards for the Italian WorldTour events, especially for the Giro d’Italia. But we are confident that this year we can find good spaces in other important races overseas.
“We continue to call our project ‘Greenteam’ with the goal of developing some of the best young italian talents,” Reverberi continued. “For 2014 we decided to stop our roster at 17 riders because we want do meticulous work with all of them. There is a really good base with great future and I think they are ready to make outstanding results next year.”
The team’s all-Italian roster will have just four changes in 2014, with the most high profile departure being sprinter Sacha Modolo - who took nine of the team’s 11 victories - stepping up to the WorldTour with Lampre-Merida. Cristian Delle Stelle goes to Continental Team Idea, while Andrea Di Corrado and Andrea Pasqualon also leave, with the latter rumoured to be heading to the Yellow Fluo team [currently Vini Fantini-Selle Italia - ed].
The four departing riders will be replaced by Andrea Manfredi and Andrea Piechele from Ceramica Flaminia-Fondriest, and neo-pros Nicola Ruffoni - who joined the team as a stagiaire at the end of this season - and Paolo Colonna.
26-year-old Colonna will almost become the team’s oldest rider, but that honour will be taken by Pirazzi once again, who is just over two week’s older.
The team will continue to ride Campagnolo equipped Cipollini bikes, with racing kit made by new Italian brand Alé.
Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox roster for 2014
Enrico Barbin, Enrico Battaglin, Nicola Boem, Manuel Bongiorno, Marco Canola, Marco Coledan, Paolo Colonna, Sonny Colbrelli, Donato De Ieso, Filippo Fortin, Stefano Locatelli, Andrea Manfredi, Angelo Pagani, Andrea Piechele, Stefano Pirazzi, Nicola Ruffoni, Edoardo Zardini