Everyone went into today’s stage accepting that it would likely end in a mass sprint. There was simply not enough wind to create echelons, not enough riders with break-away ambitions, and not enough difficulty in the parcours to avoid the bunch rushing together for the line. It was a day
Astonishing views, a devastating climbing pace and a solid twelfth place for Israel Start-Up Nation’s Ben Hermans. That was stage 3 of the UAE Tour in a nutshell. There was not too much going on during the day; as expected, the stage was decided on the final climb. At 10.6
Some riders like them, some riders don’t. Some mechanics love them, others don’t. The trick is to have a well-balanced team, of riders and staff, to perform the best as possible on time trial days. Today it resulted in a top-10 for Matthias Brändle. With mechanic Kevin Grove, Israel Start-Up
Israel Start-Up Nation’s mechanic Kevin Grove is our Factor SLiCK TT-bike specialist. He loves the complexity of the time trial more than anyone else. “It is all about the details”, Grove says. “I love working so precisely. Every millimeter counts.” The front end of TT-bikes is the most challenging, Grove
Michael Woods came ever so close to winning Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Val overall this Sunday. However, despite being one of the strongest riders on the day, our Canadian had to settle for second place, just five seconds down on the winner. We asked Woods and Dan Martin to
Contrary to expectation, racing in the desert is somewhat stressful. Add to that the fact that the UAE Tour is, for most riders, their first race of the season. When you include the probability of quickly changing wind direction, it means that nerves play a significant role. And windy it
There were a few reasons for Mike Woods to feel the pressure before the start of today’s second stage of the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var. “I was brought to this team by Sylvan Adams and Paulo Saldanha to win,” he said, referring to the team’s owner, who backed
We are just a few hours away from the start of our second UAE Tour. Before the opening stage, which is mostly flat and is predicted to end in a mass sprint, Israel Start-Up Nation sat down with the Israeli road race champion, Omer Goldstein, who is in the United
“I am super excited to start racing – especially here in the United Arab Emirates”, says Sportive Director Dror Pekatch. “As an Israeli and a sportsman, it feels great to be in the UAE.” Pekatch is the first Israeli DS in the WorldTour, launching his 2021-season with a special one:
It is acclimatizing to the new circumstances: most of the Israel Start-Up Nation riders traveled yesterday from their cold and sometimes snowy homes to the 30 degree, sunny United Arab Emirates. Except for Chris Froome, who came over from California and seemed perfectly adapted to the climate. “No mountains today,
Team Israel Start-Up Nation will compete in its second UAE Tour. Chris Froome on his ISN debut: “I want to test my legs after a productive winter.” Co-owner Sylvan Adams: “Racing in UAE has been a building block towards new, very warm relations.” February 19th (Tel Aviv, Israel) – One
The perfect all-rounder From the Impey Cycling Family and new in Israel Start-Up Nation: Daryl Impey. The first South-African to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France is about to launch his season in the Tour des Alpes and we sat down with him before that. Daryl Impey,
Dan Martin and his new teammate, Mike Woods, will lead a strong Israel Start-Up Nation squad in the three-stage climbing fest known as the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var. In their season debut, the two first-rate climbers will get a chance to test their legs on the mountains overlooking
Guy Niv spent his off-season back home, in Israel, and enjoyed every moment of it. “The weather was incredible”, he says, “and the views around my training area at this time of the year are just beautiful! I felt privileged to be able to live in such an amazing country with
Team Israel Start-Up Nation and PowerWatts are happy to announce their continued collaboration for the 2021 season. Paulo Saldanha, founder of PowerWatts and the head of Performance for ISN, has integrated many of the elements and methodologies of the PowerWatts training system into the team preparation strategies. PowerWatts is a
The Israel Start-Up Nation mechanics: Always working around the clock to make sure our Factor bikes and equipment run smoothly and are up for whatever the races throw at us. Get to know our MVP’s behind the scenes and their work. Video by: Sjors Beukeboom
Halfway to the steep finale of today’s time trial, it was clear to our guys in the Israel Start-Up Nation support car that our leader, Mads Würtz Schmidt, would not be able to reach the podium he so coveted. But we weren’t too disappointed to see the podium slip away,
It all comes down to this one question: can our GC man, Mads Würtz Schmidt, step up to the plate tomorrow and produce the result that will land him a podium finish? Judging by his performance since day one, there is every reason to believe he can. Beyond his power
They say that a human’s character is tested in moments of defeat, but for ISN’s Mads Wurtz, it was the moment of success that revealed his true self. He was standing there at the finish line, after the grueling and decisive third stage, where he was able to finish 3rd
“It’s hard to believe, but the riders here are racing so hard – nervous and aggressive. It’s like this is the biggest race of the year… or maybe the last?” That was the astonished Sep Vanmarcke, right after the today’s stage, trying to explain the mayhem that had unfolded for
Sometimes you’ve just got to pause and take a long look at the big picture. For us, that moment came some 20 kilometers into the first stage of Étoile de Bessèges in southern France, when our first rider called for assistance. For the first time in a very long time,
Israel Start-Up Nation races Etoile de Besseges Barbier: “Felt strong all winter” Renard: “Racing? Feels like ages ago” Israel Start-Up Nation is heading to the south of France for its first race of the season: Etoile de Besseges. Directeur Sportif Claudio Cozzi says it is a privilege to be able
What was going on in Israel Start-Up Nation’s pre-season training camp? A lot. A whole lot. Check out this video. Daily riding, laughs, massages, building bikes, lots of humor, enjoying new kits, great conversations, performance meetings, race calendar discussions, osteopath treatments, media meetings… etc, etc etc. Watch. Video:
Think about a faraway village. Think about its crisp air, a snow-peaked mountain that looms above, and a river that runs through it all. This idyllic place is Guy Niv’s new home. And it is, in fact, Israel’s Kibbutz Dan, found in the far north of the country and a
It’s impossible to resist Sep Vanmarcke and his cycling skills have little to do with that – although he is pretty good on the bike! It has to do with his continual smile, his full-gas positive attitude, his willingness to lend a hand to a youngster, and his ability to
Team Israel Start-Up Nation is delighted to announce its return to the UAE Tour. The team made its first appearance in the UAE Tour last season and was warmly received as the first Israeli team to race in an Arab country. A few months later, Israel and the UAE signed
The farm-boy racer Alexis Renard is a rider who is going to burst onto the racing scene in a big way. It isn’t a question of if, but when for this 21-year-old from Brittany, France. We knew he was a promising talent when we recruited him from Cotes d’Armor, the
“Time to leave behind 2020 and start out on a fresh note; what do you think, Candy ?” ISN’s Canadian climber James Piccoli is looking forward to 2021 with a great sense of optimism. In his first European season, there were a few bumps on the road, but he is
From green to light blue to #BlueandWhite. Starting his SIXTH (!) season with the team, our Canadian all-power man, G Boivin, has had the privilege to race in all the colors above, but there’s no doubt that the 2021 edition is his favorite. “The kit is so clean and classy,”
KRISTS NEILANDS TIME TO SHINE Not just ‘a promising talent’ any longer, but the real deal. The Latvian showed how good he could be on that super breakaway day in the Tour de France that got him the most combative rider award. “But now,” says Krists as he starts his
POWER MADE IN ISRAEL ITAMAR EINHORN is a rarity: A sprinter born and raised in Israel. The 23-year-old from Modi’in, who is entering his second season as a full pro, clearly showed his potential when he recorded the first UCI race victory for an Israeli rider last season. “My focus
“Sprinting is like a street fight” Rudy Barbier is a sprinter by heart. When he’s in the zone, there is only one thing on his mind: moving forward! “I love sprinting. The best moments on the bike are when I’m in the middle of a sprint. You’re always looking for
It’s not always easy to mesh into a new team. Strange faces. Different environment. And that Hebrew… But forget all of that when it comes to Patrick “everybody calls me Paddy” Bevin. The man from the magical 🧙♀ kiwi island of New Zealand felt right at home with ISN when
A new team for a new season Team Israel Start-Up Nation is ready to take on the 2021 cycling season with a new line-up but the same enthusiasm and dedication from years past. Froome: This is a long-term commitment for me. And I want my fifth Tour title. Adams: More
Batteries recharged Andre Greipel is a phenomenon: Who else can pride himself with being a consistent pro, the ultimate winner ( 156 victories ), and – still possess the hunger and motivation to keep on racing? “Look, it’s simple,” he said when we asked him last night what will be
FACTOR OSTRO VAM: ISN’S PERFECT RACING MACHINE FOR 2021 After a successful first season on the WorldTour; Team Israel Start-Up Nation is happy to announce the team will continue its collaborations with Factor Bikes, Black Inc and CeramicSpeed in 2021. ISN was already performing on the Factor ONE and the
How is it to be the first female Directeur Sportif on the WorldTour, you might ask? We’ve talked with our X-Factor DS Cherie Pridham about leading the way in a male-dominated sport, her tough side and what drives her the most to perform on the highest level. Watch here: https://youtu.be/wZYRLuZF92U
The Chosen One Israeli custom apparel company Jinga will supply Israel Start-Up Nation with cycling apparel in 2021. They will suit up the full team: the WorldTour and Continental riders, and the staff. Jinga is returning as a clothing sponsor as the brand perfectly matches the team’s vision. Clothing manufacturer
Continental team to become a U23 team ‘We want to do races like the ‘Baby Giro’’ ICA continues to bridge to WorldTour team The Israel Cycling Academy Continental team will continue in 2021, with its efforts to grow Israeli talent to the WorldTour level strengthened in the upcoming season. In
Camp will be the first gathering of the revamped 2021 squad Squad’s visit to Israel postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions Media days to include worldwide press conferences and interviews with the team’s owners and riders January 4th (Tel Aviv, Israel) – Team Israel Start-Up Nation (ISN) will open the 2021
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Israel Cycling Academy was founded in 2014 and is the first Israeli professional team in the world.
ICA’s vision is enabling talented young cyclists to compete in the international arena and launch their professional careers and provide inspiration, hope, and faith to a new generation.
ICA views itself as Israel’s ambassador…
to the world and utilizes the great
exposure it receives during races to promote Israel.
ICA has a clear goal of developing the cycling scene is Israel, and the efforts are being aimed at the younger ages.
ICA sees this sport as a bridge to gap between social classes and religions in Israel, launching several
programs for kids in a low socio-economic area in Israel.
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