January 25, 2019 – Israel Cycling Academy is deeply honoured to receive an invitation to race at our second consecutive Giro d’Italia in 2019 and is determined to present a competitive team with a clear goal to win a stage.
The decision by the RCS organisation to grant ICA a wild card invitation was taken today and thus guarantees that the team will be able to further build on its historic participation in the Giro d’Italia in May 2018 which started in Jerusalem, the first time that the Giro started outside Europe in its 101-year history.
Team co-owner, Sylvan Adams, who was also the central figure behind the historic 3-day Grand Start of the Giro in Israel last year, welcomed the decision. “We are gratified that ICA, for the second consecutive year, has received a wild card entry into the Giro d’Italia. This is further vindication that our program is on the right path, as based on our team’s strength, quality, and professionalism, we are racing in the world’s biggest races. Our team is bigger and better than last year’s edition, and we have high hopes for results at the 2019 Giro, after coming very close to winning a stage last year. Thanks to RCS for inviting us to the 2019 Giro. Our riders are excited to race in the 102nd edition of this beautiful race,” said Adams.
“We are happy and proud,” commented pro team manager Kjell Carlstrom. “We did reasonably well in the Giro 2018 but we are hungry for more. We have strengthened the team and firmly believe we can do better this year. For the team it means a lot to be able to participate in the Giro again and we are determined to make the most of it: We will send a versatile team that can be competent in both the hilly and flat terrain. We strongly believe that the better squad we will present – will give us our first grand Tour stage victory.”
Academy riders received the news with great enthusiasm but nobody more so than the Spanish veteran Ruben Plaza who gets closer to achieving his dream of winning stages in all grand tours, after he came second in the 18th stage last may: “For me its huge news. I need this kind of motivation. This is why I chose to continue for another year: To get another crack at winning a Giro stage, for this wonderful team and myself. Now I will get this chance.”
The Israeli riders in ICA will also set their minds on competing for the “ticket” to the 2019 Giro: “For the team, this invitation proves how far we have come,” said Israeli Guy Niv, who fell ill and was forced to abandon the race after five stages last year. “For me I feel I owe a debt to come back stronger this time around.”
Israeli teammate Guy Sagiv who became the first Israeli to finish a Grand tour commented, “It’s great news. I will do everything to be there and this time with goals beyond the desire to finish.”
The Giro d’Italia will start May 11 in Bologna and will finish 21 stages and 3,518 km later in Verona.
For 2019, the Israel Cycling Academy assembled a team of 30 riders coming from 18 different nationalities. The team has recruited 10 new riders to help it compete for the best ranking on the Pro continental Level to achieve its goal to race in all Grand Tours. The ICA will start its season this Sunday, at the Vuelta A San Juan, Argentina.