The expected sponsor announcement from the former ISD-Neri team of Luca Scinto came in short order after Sunday's news that MCipollini would be stepping up to a take on a bigger role in the team.
The almost humorous sponsorship swap is now complete. Two Italian teams, one ProTour and one Professional Continental, have just switched sponsors. ISD-Neri will see both of its title sponsors leave in 2011, with the Ukrainian ISD heading to Lampre-Farnese Vini. Lampre will stay on for 2011, but Farnese Vini will head in the opposite direction of ISD - they'll become the title sponsor of the new Farnese Vini-MCipollini team.
So, as it stands now, it's Lampre-ISD and Farnese Vini-MCipollini for the 2011 campaign.
As expected, MCipollini, will now be a co-sponsor of the team, ensuring that Giovanni Visconti will remain. The announcement of the financial security of the team will be just cause for a sigh of relief from Scinto, as rumors have continued to swirl over a Visconti jump to Liquigas-Doimo.
With the team's financial situation secured for 2011, the real question is how the Farnese Vini-MCipollini will bolster the support for its superstar Italian champion, Giovanni Visconti.