Lampre-Merida are pinning their hopes on Sacha Modolo re-signing with the team despite interest and the offer of more money from Etixx-QuickStep. The Italian WorldTour team have already seen Niccolò Bonifazio move to Trek Factory Racing for next year, while Rafael Valls is also expected to depart after confirming he would not re-sign with Lampre for 2016.
The Italian team are hoping that they can build their squad around former world champion Rui Costa, Diego Ulissi, Modolo, Davide Cimolai and a flock of young talent. Maximiliano Ariel Richeze, a rider close to Modolo, is set to move to Etixx-QuickStep with the Belgian team's manager, Patrick Lefevere, keen on using Modolo's leadout man as bait.
"We're talking to a few riders but no big transfers have been made at this point. Obviously losing Bonifazio was a big disappointment but we're waiting on Modolo to confirm on what he wants to do. Once we know with him it will be clearer as to what we can do with our budget and how much budget we have," Lampre Merida's Brent Copeland told Cyclingnews.
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Although Etixx may be offering a more substantial contract offer, Copeland is hoping that a more complete package will help keep Modolo with the team he's ridden for during the last two seasons.
"My personal feeling is that he'll stay. He's Italian, which is something we need, and it would be great if he stay. I know that he has an offer from Etixx. We've not matched it as much but we can offer the complete programme that he wants. We're offering him a more complete package. I think it's 70-30 per cent that he'll stay, but that's just my personal feeling."
One gap Copeland will certainly need to fill is the one left by Valls.
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