Behind the Star of David under the blue and white colors of the jersey, a cry: “Yalla Israel Start-Up Nation”. Present for several seasons on the floor below, the Israeli team entered the World Tour last winter by recovering the license of the dying Katusha. Another step forward for its owner, Sylvan Adams, son of a Romanian deportee who made his fortune in real estate in Canada. After his Alyah, he now puts all his energy to “sell” his country, to offer it a different, less ferocious image. Messi in Tel Aviv with Argentina, that’s him. Madona at Eurovision too. Cycling today offers it exceptional visibility. It is not by chance, passionate he was six times champion of the Canada Masters and obtained as many gold medals at the Maccabiades between 2013 and 2019!
Sports diplomacy in the emirates …
In Nice, for the first time, a team from the Hebrew state set off on the roads of the Tour de France with, in its ranks, and that too was unprecedented, an Israeli rider, climber Guy Niv. At 26, he finished 6th in the Tour of Taiwan last year, this morning he occupies 147th place overall, between Luke Rowe and Cees Bol at 3 h 30 min 08 s from Primoz Roglic.
While UAETeam Emirates and Bahrain-McLaren enjoy the full support of the country they promote, ISN remains fully funded by the billionaire Quebec. He has the means, it was he who bought at a high price the start of the Giro-2018 and three unforgettable days in the Holy Land. Not given perhaps but very noticed.
Also noticed the presence of the riders led by Lionel Marie, French sports director (he is at the head of the team this month with the former Belgian winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and of Amstel Eric Van Lancker) at the emirates in February. “We were received there like VIPs, the philanthropist boss said, better than the other formations.” No diplomatic relationship so far between Israel and the small country chaired by Khalifa ben Zayed Al Nahyane, which has since become the third Arab nation to recognize Israel since after Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994).
The Froome bet for 2021
During their pre-season camp between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, all the riders were steeped in the culture of Israel, riding in the desert but also visiting all the major sites and the Yad Vashem memorial where shines discreetly on the list of “Righteous Among the Nations” named after Gino Bartali, double winner of the Tour de France (1938-1948). “It’s very important that our riders know the history of the country they are going to represent all season well,” said Adams.
After the Belgian Ben Hermans, the Irish Dan Martin, the Alsatian sprinter Hugo Hofstetter (4th in Sisteron, 10th in Privas, 7th in Lavaur, 8th in Poitiers), the veteran André Greipel, Adams offered himself his compatriot Michaël Woods ( winner Wednesday at Saturnia sur Tirreno) and of course, Chris Froome, for a final bet next season.
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