Israel Start Up Nation - Israel Cycling Academy
Israel Start Up Nation - Israel Cycling Academy
The ISRAEL Start Up Nation Cycling Academy was founded to elevate and popularize the sport of cycling in Israel and other emerging countries, the team has grown in just three years from a small Continental-Level Team to one of the world’s best Pro-Continental Teams.
The new WorldTour Team has over 30 riders, from various nationalities, and four Israeli riders – the first ever to be on a WT Team. As a member of the WorldTour UCI Level, Israel-Start-Up Nation will become the first-ever Israeli team to compete in the Tour de France, the world’s most famous cycling event, and third most watched sport event in general. In order to compete at the highest level, the team has signed outstanding and experienced riders including Andre Greipel, Dan Martin and Dani Navarro.
In addition, not forgetting their commitment to invest in young Israeli riders (and managers), a new Continental Team had been established, still carrying on the name of Israel Cycling Academy. Half of the riders are young and talented Israeli riders.
“Our destiny was to become a WorldTour team”, stated Sylvan Adams, the team’s co-owner. “We are now at the pinnacle of the sport and hope to prove that we firmly belong.”
There is also a name change, to Team Israel Start up Nation, as the team received an important sponsorship commitment from the Israeli non-profit incubator Start up Nation Central. Additionally, a new minority owner has also come on board, Kevin Ham, together with his Reinvent brand.
ISN signed for 2020 decorated and experienced riders such as Andre Greipel, Dan Martin, Nils Pollit, and Dani Navarro to its roster of 30 riders, which will include four Israeli riders.
New for 2020, the philanthropic investors have Increased their commitment to developing young Israeli talent by creating a new 15 rider Israel Cycling Academy Continental squad, a majority of whom are Israeli.
The team begins each year with a pre-season training camp in Israel, where new and returning riders and staff are (re-)introduced to the country, both on bikes and off, as we expose them to the diversity of Israel and the history of the Jewish People. There is an absolute requirement for each rider and staff member to conduct him or herself at highest level of sportsmanship, as they represent and act as ambassadors for the home nation.
Within Israel, we are using the bicycle to bridge the gap between social classes and religions in Israel, establishing several programs for children from disadvantaged communities across Israel. Specifically, ICA has founded cycling schools in various Youth Villages in Israel, as well as the first ever Arab Youth Cycling League in Shefa‘Amr, an Arab Israeli city in the north of the country. ICA also sponsors the local Schools League for Cycling Races, and has built a mentorship program for young coaches, to establish the next generation of professional cycling coaches in Israel.
The team ethos extends well beyond the sporting one, with ISN and ICA acting as Israeli ambassadors abroad, translating the exposure we receive as we race on six continents to promoting Israel as an exciting tourist destination. ISN and ICA are non-profits with ambassadorial, touristic, social, and sporting missions. We rely on the energy of our fan engagement and appreciate the warm support we receive all over the world.