Gilberto Simoni may well join Damiano Cunego at Lampre in 2010, capping four years of riding for separate teams. The two Italians rode together from 2002 to 2005, but clashed in the 2004 Giro d’Italia.
Lampre team manager Giuseppe Saronni is trying to push for the deal. “It’s tempting,” Saronni said to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Gibo doesn’t have the level to win the Giro, but he is still a very solid rider.” Simoni declared a return to the team as “interesting.”
Cunego, 22 years old at the time, won the 2004 Giro with ease and more than once embarrassed Simoni with attacks. Simoni ended the race in third place, three seconds behind Serhiy Honchar.
Simoni was highly upset with the outcome, but the two fulfilled their respective Saeco contracts, riding together in 2005 for the Saeco – Lampre merger, Lampre-Caffita. Simoni then joined Saunier-Duval before moving to Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni in 2008.
Simoni and Cunego reportedly put their differences aside last winter at a charity event in Milano.
Lampre already secured the services of sprinter Alessandro Petacchi for two years.