• Italian climber and super-domestique looks forward to “complete change”
  • Adams: “Alessandro’s experience and versatility” will help the team

Alessandro De Marchi will join Israel Start-Up Nation for two years. The Italian climber and super-domestique says he is looking forward to the challenges that a complete change can bring.

“We are pleased to add a rider as powerful as Alessandro De Marchi to our roster. Alessandro’s experience and versatility will reinforce the strong team that we are building. He can climb and time trial well, which gives us additional roster strength for Grand Tours and other WorldTour races,” said team co-owner Sylvan Adams. “Benvenuto Alessandro to ISN.”

De Marchi has ridden 12 Grand Tours and has claimed three Vuelta a Espana stages, as well as a win in the Giro dell’Emilia. Most recently he has ridden for the CCC Team.

“ISN has presented challenging goals for the team and for me – this gives me a lot of new motivation. And I think it is crucial in sport to aim for clear goals,” Alessandro said. “As always, I see myself first as a domestique, and second as a free player when I have the chance. I like to race aggressively and play my cards in breakaways, especially during stage races and Grand Tours.”

He knows that there is always room for development. “I feel that I can still improve in some areas. Last year I started to focus a lot on time trialing skills, and this is something I want to continue with.  I also want to ride in the Olympic games for the second time, and I would like to close the circle of winning a stage in each Grand Tour.”

Joining the Israeli team offers him not only a new challenge, but also “a good opportunity to change completely … I realize now maybe that was something I was really looking for, something I needed. Change always bring you something good.”

According to team manager Kjell Carlström, “Alessandro is a great rider who can really strengthen the team. He will help in Grand Tours and other big races as well as going for personal results from breakaways.”

“I see him as a key rider who will still be there working for the team, even in the second and third week of a Grand Tour, when there’s a lot of climbing. He will keep them in position, or work to protect a leader’s jersey, if we should have one.”

“Of course, he has shown in the past that he’s a great breakaway rider, too, who can go for a win. He also does well in one-day races, like the Ardennes Classics.”