Israel’s only professional cycling team, Israel Start-Up Nation, is making history by competing in the UAE Tour, becoming the first Israeli team to participate in the Middle East’s top cycling race.
The race starts February 23 and continues until February 29, crossing all seven of the United Arab Emirates, from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. It features a balanced course covering more than 1,000 km with an elevation gain of more than 4,500 m – ideal for all-round General Classification riders while still presenting opportunities for sprinters and time trial specialists to fight for stage wins. The race will be broadcast to a television audience across the world.
The UAE Tour is the Middle East’s largest professional cycling race and the only one in the region that is part of the Union Cycliste Internationale World Tour competition, which comprises 38 men’s elite road cycling tour events around the world.
Israeli rider Omer Goldstein is in the Israel Start-Up Nation team, alongside the team’s biggest stars, to help secure a stage win for the team.
“Competing in the UAE in the team uniform is an inspiring moment. Until recently, it would have seemed like an unrealistic dream,” said 23-year-old Omer Goldstein, a member of the Israel Start-Up Nation team. He continued, “In all honesty, I am still finding it hard to digest, but once I am on the start line, I will be fully focused on just one thing – helping the team win.”