36 year old Italian should provide excellent support for Italian Champion, Giovanni Visconti
36 year old, Luca Mazzanti, has found a home for the 2011 season and just in the nick of time. Following a two year stint with Russian superteam, Katusha, Mazzanti found himself without a contract heading into next season.
Luckily for Mazzanti, Luca Scinto’s Farnese Vini-Neri team was still on the market for high caliber riders and came to an agreement on a one year deal with the team headlined by Italian Champion, Giovanni Visconti (pictured), according to Spazio Ciclismo.
The team, formerly known as ISD-Neri, lost its title sponsor to the Lampre team for 2011, but was saved by Farnese Vini late in the all important transfer/sponsor season merry go round.
Mazzanti, though still a consistent performer, is clearly in the twilight of his career. During his four year stint with Ceramica Panaria-Navigare from 2004 to 2007, he was a threat over most any terrain, but in the last three years, his results have begun to slow a bit, and retirement seems to be on the horizon.
Even with a gradual slowing in the results column, Mazzanti has shown himself a powerful teammate and still capable of nailing down some reasonable results. In 2009, he took 9th at the Trofeo Laigueglia, 5th at the Rund um den Finanzplatz Frankfurt-Eschborn, 8th at the GP Beghelli, 18th at the Giro di Lombardia, and 10th at the Japan Cup.
Considering the hoped for race invitations for Team Visconti, Mazzanti’s all-around abilities and vast experience (Mazzanti has raced professionally since 1998) will be of great use to the Italian champion as he looks to ascend to rarefied heights as one of the best hilly Classics racers in the world and finally assume the mantle as the next Bettini.