News: Dan Martin Leading Team at TDF

Monument winner Dan Martin will lead team Israel Start-Up Nation in the Tour de France – the first time an Israeli team will participate in the hardest race in the world.

News: Dan Martin Leading Team at TDF

Monument winner Dan Martin will lead team Israel Start-Up Nation in the Tour de France – the first time an Israeli team will participate in the hardest race in the world. The strong line-up supporting him also includes Guy Niv, the first Israeli rider ever to compete in the Tour.

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Dan Martin is looking forward to his eighth Tour. “I’m truly grateful to the team for being so patient and allowing me the time to really assess my condition after the crash in the Dauphine. My recovery progressed much better than expected and I was back on the bike, riding easily after only three days. Since then I have continued to improve and believe I can start the Tour de France in good condition. I expect to suffer through the first stages as I have missed a bit of training, but I am incredibly excited to use my experience in the race to help the team. Once I get back into the rhythm of racing, I will look for opportunities to take a stage win.”

Sprinter Andre Greipel is going for this tenth consecutive Tour, saying “It’s always great to be here. And this will be a great celebration as the first Tour for the Israeli team and with the first Israeli rider. The team can be proud.”

Team co-owner Sylvan Adams called it, “A dream come true. We are here not to just ride along but to be seen. We will be in the mix in every stage!” The team put forward a strong line-up to impress in its first Tour de France:

Dan Martin,
Andre Greipel,
Nils Politt,
Guy Niv,
Hugo Hofstetter,
Krists Neilands,
Ben Hermans
Tom Van Asbroeck.

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Martin was strong in his return to racing after the Corona shutdown but suffered a sacral fracture in the second stage of the Criterium du Dauphine only 13 days ago. Rest, treatment and therapy have been effective, and he says, “I feel I am ready. I feel I can do something here in the Tour.”

In his eighth Tour, Martin will lead the way up the climbs. The team’s other leader is sprinter Greipel, in his tenth consecutive Tour, who aims to add to his total of 11 stage wins.

Team Manager Kjell Carlström: “We have put together the team that we believe is best to execute our strategy. We are hunting for stage wins and as the route is demanding, we have ensured that we have all possibilities covered. All the teams, of course, are out for success, but we’re focused on our goal to win a stage.”

Head Sport Director Eric Van Lancker: “Dan, of course, is our leader in the mountains. Ben and Krists will get some days free to join a break group in the mountains, to try and go for the wins. On the other days they will be the strong helpers in the mountains. For the pure flat sprints, we have one leader: Andre. Tom will be his final wheel in the sprints and Hugo will look for the slightly hillier stages with a sprint in the end and, of course, for a good break. Nils can go in a break on some stages, as well – also helping the guys in the sprint.”