Israel Start-Up Nation takes aims at Vuelta in the Tour de France
After successful debuts at the Tour de France and Giro, blue-and-white cycling team in Spain for final Grand Tour race.
By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFFAFTER COMPETING in the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, the Israel Start-Up Nation riders are set for today’s Vuelta a España start, October 2020.(photo credit: NOA ARNON/ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY)
The Israel Start-Up Nation cycling team is set to compete in its first-ever Vuelta a España, which begins on Tuesday. The Vuelta is one of professional cycling’s three prestigious Grand Tour races, alongside the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia.During the last few weeks, the Israeli team has successfully completed its first Tour de France and is currently competing in the Giro d'Italia, where Alex Dowsett brought in ISN’s first ever Grand Tour stage win.Irish international rider Dan Martin will lead the team at the Vuelta. Ahead of the race, he said: “I spent the whole Tour de France thinking about this race. I am fit, injury-free and ready to go with this ambitious squad. I hope for a stage win and will try to be there on General Classification [overall race leadership].”The team’s eight riders at the Vuelta come from eight different countries. They include Israeli Omer Goldstein, who is making his Grand Tour debut. He said that in addition to supporting Dan Martin, he will also look for his chances in breakaway groups, commenting “I want to leave my mark and not just survive.”“I’m excited that our Israel Start-up Nation team will be racing in our first Vuelta a Espana, another historic achievement for our young team,” said team co-owner Sylvan Adams. “As at the Tour de France, ISN will be hunting for stage wins, led by our multiple Grand Tour stage winner, Dan Martin. Also, Omer Goldstein will be racing in his first Grand Tour, something which will give him good experience for the future. Omer is a fighter, and we’ll have an opportunity to see what he can do at this Vuelta.”Sport Director Oscar Guerrero outlined the team’s ambitions for the Vuelta, saying “the main goal is to win stages. We will fight for that, and we need to choose the proper stage for each rider.”Guerrero has selected a strong line-up for ISN’s first Vuelta and final Grand Tour of the 2020 season, with Dan Martin being backed by Rory Sutherland, Reto Hollenstein, Omer Goldstein, Mihkel Räim, Matteo Badilatti, Alexis Renard and James Piccoli.Martin, Sutherland and Hollenstein can call on the combined experience of twelve Vueltas between them. For Goldstein, Raim, Badilatti, Renard and Piccoli, this will be their first-ever Grand Tour race. They are all ready to not only support their captain, but also to take their own chances when possible.For Australia’s Rory Sutherland, it will not only be his last Vuelta, but his final appearance in an ISN jersey, as Sutherland has decided to end to his 16-year professional cycling career.
