Riders with the flag: The riding group from Israel is in Dubai and will open its participation in the UAE tomorrow - the most prestigious and prestigious race in the Middle East • Omar Goldstein: "Still having trouble digesting the fact that we are here. I was surprised by the warm welcome"
Sun floor
By the time the riding group Israel Startup Nation landed on Dubai soil, most of its managers had been trying to catch their breath. After all the riders - including Omar Goldstein - set off on state soil for the UAE column to open today, everyone is already breathing a sigh of relief and another chapter in the club's history seems to be on the way to register.
The Sun Group landed in Dubai branding from head to toe with state symbols, advertisements praising TA and Jerusalem and calling to visit them and as mentioned with an Israeli rider entering a blue and white passport.
"Competing in the UAE in the team uniforms is a great and exciting moment that was recently considered an unrealistic dream," admitted 23-year-old Israeli talent from Misgav who also opened the season in Australia, "The truth is that I still have a hard time digesting the fact that we are here, The leap - I'll focus on just one thing: helping the team achieve victory. "
This is the first time the team will compete in the Middle East's biggest pro race and although initially the organizers were really happy to hear about the Sun Group's absence, at least according to training yesterday, the local environment seems to be accepting of the riders. Admittedly, of course, all the members of the group were glued, but most of the attention was focused on Goldstein, who was given personal security throughout his stay in the country.
"I was surprised by the warm welcome, Goldstein described," I didn't know what to expect, but sports win politics and it's wonderful. "
Sun co-owner Sylvan Adams will come to watch the UAE race closely in what has already been dubbed the club as "one of the most formative moments".
"Our participation in the race is a perfect expression of the sport's ability to contribute to peace and friendship," Adams said. "This is one of our goals as a team and I am happy and proud that we have been given this opportunity."
The race will open today on the artificial island in Dubai, cross all seven Emirates and end at the Abu Dhabi Center a week later and is considered to be the biggest professional race in the Middle East and the only one in the prestigious World Tour. The Sun Group's entry into the race was unquestionably professional, after joining the World Tour in the summer as one of the 19 largest teams in the world and the Tour organizers basically had no choice but to confirm their participation.
In addition to the Sun Group's participation in the World Cycling World, most eyes will be focused on returning to Inome Group Chris Frum's asphalt, which was absent from contests after being seriously injured during the Dupina Criterion in June last season and breaking the femur. It remains to be seen if his recovery process has been successful and if that is the case - Frum will once again be a leading candidate for the Tour de France this year, where he will once again meet the Israeli Sun Group for the first time in its history.
Israel Startup Nation in Dubai. First sea begins // Photo: Sun Group
Beyond Goldstein, the Sun's Tour of the Emirates column will feature two former world speed record holders: Austrian Matthias Brandella and British Alex Dovest, joined by German Rick Zabel, Spanish Danny Navarro and French sprinter Rudy Barbier. The Sun's ultimate goal will be to try to beat one of the flat sections, but no doubt they will try to get at least one rider into the escape group, so no one in the race can escape the fact that an Israeli group is burning the roads in the UAE.