Israel Startup Nation wants to register another history: Expected to register for Saudi Arabia (February) with the aim of being the first Israeli team to compete there • And also: Eli Stern accompanied riders in a special training camp held in Israel, just before the prestigious World Tour season opens
Israel startup is in action. Towards another history
Photography:
Noa Arnon
The Israel Startup Group, with its 80 crew members coming to Israel, finished training camp yesterday for the opening of the historic season during which it will compete in the World Tour.
SA riders arrived in Jerusalem on Monday, riding in Mitzpe Ramon, passing by the Dead Sea and ending in the capital. Yesterday, at the last training session in Israel and in fact at the last meeting of all riders this season, they performed a homage to the club when they rode on Nes Mountain Road and stopped at the cafe where they met five years ago. Ronnie Brown and Ran Margalit, where they initiated the founding of the team.
After leaving Israel, SA riders will scatter throughout Europe - some for Christmas holidays and some for additional training camps - and then the team will open the season in the Australian Down Tour, attended by Omar Goldstein - the first Israeli to ride in the World Tour.
In February, Sa'an is expected to record another history when it first competes in the UAE column (29-23 month) to which it has already registered, but the club does not intend to stop in the Arab state, whose group competed in the country during the three gyros held in Israel in 2018.
Saudi drivers are expected to sign up for Saudi Arabia - a relatively new race in the riders' calendar that is not considered prestigious, but if this move is completed, this will be the first time an Israeli sports team will compete in a country that does not allow Israelis to enter. February 4), like the three Grand Tourists waiting for it, the managers are also expected to stroke at least one Israeli rider to make history.
Plow the land
"This is my fourth time in the Kotel in four years," boasted Ben Hermans, the Belgian cyclist, who joined in his previous incarnation as an academic cyclist. ) Don't know Israel badly. In the training camp, riders were given the stories of combat (owner's legacy) sponsored by owner Silvan Adams and Brown, when the club's CEO, Chen Tal, also described the riders' security situation in the south.
Startup Nation is practicing. Tour of Jerusalem and dessert in the Mahane Yehuda market // Photo: Eli Stern
There was no lack of Zionism in the training camp. Visiting Yad Vashem and honoring Rider and Righteous Among the Nations Gino Bartley, Tests at the Silvan Adams Sports Lab at Tel Aviv University, Assistance in Establishing a Bicycle Track at Outstanding Racers at Ben Shemen Academy, Riding in the South by Eating Dust Clouds and Realizing Ben-Gurion's Vision In Jerusalem and dessert in the Mahane Yehuda market. Now they only have a few wins left.
Martin: "In the column everything is crazy"
Dan Martin is the only Irish representative in the SA. The experienced rider (33) made his debut at the Tour de France in 2012, having managed to return there three more times and win two sections: in 2013, which was probably the best season of his career, and last year , Then celebrated in the sixth section and finished the column in eighth place overall.
"The gyro is physically more difficult, but the Tour de France draws a lot more mental strength from you," Martin told the group bus on the way to the Wall and the Tomb Church yesterday. "The gyro has relatively flat, calm days and crazy mountain sections, but in the column everything is crazy. Nothing calm. Of course Guy Sagiv and Guy Niv who finished the gyro are also able to finish the column. "
Dan Martin with Veron Brown in the Holy City. Great excitement // Photo: Eli Stern
About personal goals, Martin said: "I want to enjoy the competitions. I have won some of those careers, and in fact the only people who set riders goals during the season are the journalists. She is the show, and everyone will give their maximum as an individual and as a team. "
A group at the top rank in the world will change Israeli bicycle culture?
"In Europe, one of the first gifts that children receive at Christmas is a bicycle. I am not sure that this is the culture in Israel on Hanukkah.