The Israel – Premier Tech cycling team will line up at the Tour de France in a special edition jersey to shine the spotlight on Israeli tourism on the global cycling stage.
The design is inspired by the Israel National Trail, the walking and bike trail that runs from Kibbutz Dan in the North to Eilat in the South and showcases Israel’s most exotic landscapes. The trail covers more than one thousand kilometers of terrain and is marked by three stripes; white representing Mt. Hermon in the north, blue representing Israel’s coastline, and orange representing the desert in the south.
The special edition jersey, designed by Élie Desgreniers of Premier Tech and produced by EKOÏ, adopts the colors of the trail markings and features the trail map on the front of the jersey to create a fresh and striking design which is set to stand out in the peloton.
“Since moving to Israel, I have taken on the role of ‘Self-appointed ambassador, at large, for Israel’. With our jersey displaying the Israel National Trail, I am hoping that this special path, that links up many of Israel’s truly exceptional attractions, will generate interest among the hundreds of millions of cycling fans around the world that tune into the Tour, leading to actual tourist visits to Israel,” said IPT Owner Sylvan Adams. “They won’t be disappointed, as Israel is a marvel of ancient and modern, both the cradle of civilization, and cutting edge healthcare, technology, agriculture, and environmental science.”
'Ambassadors for the home country'
“I consider our entire team and each of our riders to be ambassadors for the home country. To that end, we host an annual team bonding and tourism camp to introduce Israel to our team. Finally, I wish to thank the Israeli Ministries of Tourism and Culture and Sport for their confidence and support.”
Israel Cycling Academy CEO Ido Shavit also commented on the new kit design.
“Our Tour de France jersey is a celebration of Israeli tourism and by focusing on the Israel Trail, which runs through the heart of the country, Israel – Premier Tech will shine the spotlight on the extraordinary and diverse landscapes and must-see destinations in Israel.
“From Masada to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Negev Desert, we are inviting our fans to explore Israel throughout the Tour de France, where we hope our riders will stand out in this special jersey.”