Tom Van Asbroeck of Belgium and Team Ef Education First - Drapac(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Van Asbroeck (EF Education)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Van Asbroeck (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Tom Van Asbroeck (Topsport Vlaanderen)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Van Asbroeck (LottoNl-Jumbo) in the salmon jersey for another day(Image credit: ASO)
Israel Cycling Academy have signed Belgian Tom Van Asbroeck to a two-year deal in a continuing effort to bolster the Pro Continental team's Classics campaigns, according to a team announcement today.
Van Asbroeck, 28, raced the past two seasons with EF Education First-Drapac after stints at Topsport-Vlaanderen and LottoNL-Jumbo. He has three professional wins: two in 2014 and his last in 2016 at Tour du Poitou Charentes. In two years with EF Education First-Drapac, his top result was third in stage 4 of the 2017 Vuelta a España.
Van Asbroeck is hoping his move to the Pro Continental team will provide an opportunity to hit the top of the podium once again.
"I chose the ICA because they are a growing team, and like me they want to do better every year," Van Asbroeck said in a statement released by the team. "I wanted to be a part of this team and again to be one of the best Pro Continental riders out there. In the WorldTour teams, I had to ride a lot for the big-name riders, but this had a negative affect on my personal results. The competitor and 'animal' in me had trouble with this.
"I really am an ambitious person - a real competition animal - I always want to do better, get stronger, be faster, and even if I win I won't be satisfied. I always want more."
Van Asbroeck had an advocate within the team in director Erik Van Lancker, who lobbied hard to bring Van Asbroeck aboard the Israeli team to create a stronger Classics attack.
"You could say we had some success - we won three 1.1 Classics in 2018 - but I always believed that we could do better with more riders who are familiar with those races. Tom is certainly a rider who can help us a lot. He grew up and developed in those races. He will come super motivated to our Classics, and that will carry over to his teammates. Add that to what he showed with the Belgian team before he moved on, and I am very optimistic about him."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Heading into their third season on the Pro Continental level next year, Israel Cycling Academy have made several moves to bolster their sprint train and their Classics strength. So far the team have added Davide Cimolai from Groupama-FDJ, Rudy Barbier from AG2R La Mondiale, Matthias Brändle from Trek-Segafredo and Matteo Badilatti from Team Vorarlberg Santic.
