· 1500 KN95 masks delivered to first hospitals thanks to 1500 riders who joined the team in its first MEDICAL AID Ride.
· And now: Medical Aid Ride Two to help deliver thousands more, on Sunday, April 5.
· “Factor Bikes” offers a racing bike frame to get more riders to join and more masks delivered.
· British rider Alex Dowsett will lead the ISN riders.
· For the first time: Riders will get a chance to RACE from start to finish if they choose.
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Tel Aviv. April 2, 2020
Following the success of its first “Medical Aid” Virtual ride that secured 1500 KN95 Masks to hospitals in need, Team Israel Start-Up Nation will lead a ride this Sunday to deliver thousand more masks to medical personnel fighting the Coronavirus Pandemic. 
The KN95 masks donated by the team and its minority co-owner philanthropist Dr. Kevin Ham – were delivered Yesterday and today to 4 Hospitals in the Greater Vancouver area. “There are shortages everywhere,” explained Dr. Ham, who has acquired the masks through his Canadian Shipping company “Chit Chats.” Dr. Ham and the team pledged to send masks to Coronavirus hot spots elsewhere. “We will certainly try to deliver one of the next shipments to places like New York,” he said.
To secure that, the team decided to now continue with a series of “Medical aid” rides on the “Zwift” platform.
This will enable it to send thousands and thousands of more masks: “We are totally behind it,” pledged Dr. Ham.
“My wish is to see many thousands of riders around the world join us that we can not only deliver more masks but also raise awareness of the shortages that put medical health workers at risk.”
Indeed, just this week, the Executive Director of the World Health Organization emergencies program has warned: “that the thought of health care workers not having masks is horrific.”
The team has doubled its efforts to attract more riders (and more masks) to its next rides with its sponsors jumping in with support: Factor Bikes announced today that it would handle a top racing frame to one of the participants in the Medical Aid series that will be drawn randomly. “Those rides are an excellent way to help make a difference in these challenging times, “said Factor Bike owner Rob Giles. “We are more than happy to support this initiative.”
Selle Italia joined the effort and will give away four top-quality saddles to participants of ISN Medical Aid 2 this coming Sunday at 15:30 CET. (09:30 am Eastern Time zone).
And for the first time, the ride Sunday will give riders the option to race from start to finish in addition to the ISN team group ride headed by the team riders. The FULL RACE riders will be part of a separate peloton that will start a few minutes before the other. The racing peloton will be headed by ISN’s Canadian climber James Piccoli, Australian Rory Sutherland and Israel Cycling Academy Conti team, Australian Freddy Ovett (also race leader). “Racing for a good cause is fantastic.”
“I am looking forward to battle against hundreds, maybe thousands of people”, said Freddy.
ISN’s British Rider Alex Dowsett, a one-time holder of the One Hour speed record, will lead the group ride alongside German legend Andre Greipel and Israelis Guy Sagiv and Guy Niv plus many others including the Team owners Sylvan Adams and Ron Baron. “Looking forward to seeing you all there, “said Dowsett. “We need you there so we can donate as many masks. We are waiting for you on the start line”.
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