BY ETHAN BARON
Israel Cycling Academy raced its first Tour of California earlier this month, and while the team may not have found tremendous success on the roads, it will still be satisfied with its visibility and effort.
Bright spots:
- Alexander Cataford (Canada) rode well to finish 23rd on GC. This is his best result so far this year, and most notable performance in a World Tour race. Cataford was consistent the entire week, finishing in the top 30 in all the important GC stages.
- The team rode aggressively throughout the Tour: Cataford put in an attack on stage 2, Roy Goldstein (Israel) showed off his national colors in the breakaway on stage 4, and Matteo Badilatti represented ICA in the break on stage 6.
Disappointments:
- ICA had limited success competing for stage wins, with Edwin Avila’s (Colombia) 10th place on stage 7 their highest finish. Missing their best climber Ben Hermans (Belgium) to injury did not help.
- Two riders didn’t make it to Pasadena, with Sondre Holst Enger (Norway) withdrawing before stage 3 and Hamish Schreurs (New Zealand) missing the time cut on the last stage.
Overall, it was not a poor outing for ICA at the Tour given the strength of the field and challenging route but left riders and fans wanting more.
Israel Cycling Academy will have another shot at taking a victory in the United States at the 2.HC Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah in August. Until then, they continue to search for glory in Europe.
Amgen
Israel Cycling Academy co-owner, Sylvan Adams: “We are the most diverse team with riders from 16 countries and 5 continents. This diversity is emblematic of Israel’s pluralistic society, which is diverse, inclusive, and free. In that way, the team’s inclusive philosophy offers an example of how riders of various backgrounds and cultures can coexist in peaceful sportsmanship and work together towards common goals. This is the model we represent all over the world.”
