Next challenge: Two Israeli riders will compete in the Volta of Spain Israel today

Two Israeli riders will compete in the Volta of Spain, which starts on Saturday, the Startup Nation group announced today (Thursday).

Israeli sprinter Itamar Einhorn with his debut in the Grand Tour and Guy Niv Shalev is the second start in one season.

For both of them this race - three weeks of climbing and accelerating over 3,417 kilometers across Spain - is a challenging and unfamiliar territory: it will be the first time the young Einhorn (23) has been selected to face the Grand Tour and the first time the team has switched from a blue and white accelerator to a big column .

And although Niv (27) is already an experienced professional who has already jumped to four major columns and was the first Israeli to finish the Tour de France - he never faced the physical and mental challenge of two Grand Tours in one season (successfully completed the Giro Italia just under two and a half months ago ).

The group's leaders also feared that this was too demanding a task even for large and experienced riders from the Israeli resident of Atzmon - but a series of injuries (including that of a safe candidate for the Christs Nylands) team, brought them back to the Niv option.

Although he was already "on the suitcases" a few days ago on the way home - he decided to take on the task: "I will not lie" Niv admitted, "it is not a simple matter of 'making the switch' and facing the Grand Tour with days' notice.

It was mostly a hard mental test because physically I feel just fine.

But I decided I was going for it with all my heart and soul to make it the three most successful weeks possible.

I will wait for my opportunities to enter an escape that will go all the way and fight for victory.

And another important task - to help Itamar in his first confrontation with the Grand Tour.

This is very important to me as a friend and colleague. '

And this is also a top priority for the team: Einhorn is the first sprinter to emerge in Israel in years and he gets from the team a chance to prove that he can try to compete for victory on a huge world stage.

Four of the first nine stages are relatively flat and are expected to end in a mass sprint (although strong winds are expected to be difficult).

"I can be there, and if not win then finish in the top three."

Einhorn in the center of the picture.

Photo: Bettini Photo,

His last race - the Burgos column - in which he finished twice in the top ten gave him that confidence.

The second goal he set for himself is to try and finish the column, a piece of challenge for a sprinter in a classic mountain race with seven distinct ascents.

"It's very difficult but possible," he said cautiously, admitting "I'm very excited."

Team owner Sylvan Adams expressed great satisfaction with the selection of the two Israelis for the race: "This is a choice that reflects the progress of the Israelis and justifies our trust in them from the beginning."

The team puts in a column of opportunistic vehicles, without a clear leader but with strong riders who are able to try to achieve victory in one of the stages.

"That's our main goal," said the team's Spanish director Oscar Guerrero.

"All eight will be given an opportunity - including Israelis."

After some deliberation, it was decided not to send Tour de France winner Chris Fromm to Volta: "Chris has not yet recovered from his last column and we preferred to give him the time he needed to get ready for the race later in the season," explained team manager Chel Carlström.

The race opened on Saturday in the section against the clock in the city of Burgos.

Full lineup:

Guy Niv - Israel

Itamar Einhorn - Israel

David Chimulai - Italy

Mads Schmidt - Denmark

Sebastian Berwick - Australia

Alex Cateford - Canada

James Piccoli - Canada

Sepp Van Mark - Belgium

Photo: Bettini Photo,