Italian footwear company Geox will sponsor Lampre-Farnese Vini according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. Lampre's riders, including Milano-Sanremo favourite Alessandro Petacchi, will race with Geox on the sides of their blue and fuchsia kits.
"Geox," reported the newspaper, "could expand its involvement for 2011."
Team manager, Giuseppe Saronni, welcomed Geox's sponsorship as title sponsor Lampre has yet to renew its contract for next year. He risks losing riders like Damiano Cunego, winner of two stages at last year's Vuelta a España, if he does not confirm team backing for the new year.
"At this point," said Cunego, "I only want to think of 2010. I will wait until later to decide my future, besides, Lampre still needs to decide if it will continue."
Geox owner, Mario Moretti Polegato is one of the richest executives in Italy. The company based in Treviso had €865 million in sales last year, 60 percent coming from abroad.
The news comes on the heels of Saronni conforming to the guidelines of the International Cycling Union (UCI), who had originally rejected the team's ProTour registration because its auditors sited administration problems. Saronni relocated his management office to Switzerland and all, according to Italy's newspaper, is "OK" for the March 31 deadline.
Lampre is one of two Italian ProTour teams alongside Liquigas-Doimo. So far this season, it has collected six wins, four thanks to Petacchi.