Israel Cycling Academy adds four Italian sponsors for 2018

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The Israel Cycling Academy continues to bolster its bid for a wildcard invitation to the 2018 Giro d'Italia, which will start with three stages in Israel, by adding four new Italian sponsors for next year.

De Rosa will take over from Cannondale as the team's bicycle sponsor, while Italian companies Nalini, Selle Italia and FSA Vision have also signed with the Pro Continental team.

Riders will have their first chance to use the new equipment as the team travels today to Cambrils, Spain, for an opening training camp.

"Our partnership with these Italian companies is a symbolic relationship," said team manager Ran Margaliot. "We see the upcoming year as the year of cycling in Israel due to the arrival of the Giro d'Italia in Israel. Having an Italian flavour is very exciting for us, and hopefully, we will be able to pay them back with an invitation to the Giro d'Italia, which we will know about that in a month or so."

Aside from adding an Italian flavour to the team, Margaliot said, the new sponsors also bring a "style" to the squad as the team and riders attempt to promote cycling in Israel.

"It's very important for us as a team to try to represent modern cycling and to encourage people to see cycling as sexy and a very appealing sport, so we would like to have this kind of flavour in our team," he said. "We hope with our Israeli team and the Italian standard of quality and style, we will be able to achieve amazing things."

As part of a two-year sponsorship deal, De Rosa will supply the team with three different frames: Sprinters will ride the aerodynamic SK Pininfarina, climbers will compete on the lightweight King, and the all-around cyclists will opt for the versatile Protos.

Nalini will supply clothing for the team, while Selle Italia will supply the saddles. FSA Vision will supply components and wheels. The team will ride the FSA Powerbox, a lightweight and power meter crankset.

"The Giro starts from Israel to celebrate the 70 years of this country but also to celebrate human values which the cycling world needs to globally share," Nalini said in a statement released by the team.

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