Gallery: Sagan helps launch first Israeli pro team

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The Cycling Academy team presented by Peter Sagan(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Peter Sagan was in Jerusalem this week to help launch Israel's first UCI professional team. The Cycling Academy, a non-profit organisation to help train young Israeli talent in cycling, began in Slovakia and has two Slovakian riders, and brought Sagan in as an ambassador for the project.

"I joined this project with enthusiasm," Sagan said. "because a social project is being developed in Zilina, where I was born, and this was assigned to Peter Zanicky, my first coach. We are carrying out projects for children in Slovakia and the Cycling Academy provided us with an additional asset which made the collaboration even more natural: to give a real chance to young Israeli, Slovakian and Polish athletes who might eventually get to professional cycling one day, just like it happened to me.

"I am proud for the opportunity to host the international launch of this special project in Jerusalem," Mayor Barkat said. "This is a very special occasion for all of us and I send my blessing to the team, and wish them great success in their mission – to bring these riders the world's biggest races. I am confident that we will see these riders return to Jerusalem for more exciting races in the near future."