TDF Update | Israeli team sprinter earns top 10 finish in Stage 4

THE ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY, SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
Published June 29, 2021

Israel Start-Up Nation got its first top 10 place in this year’s Tour de France as André Greipel was 10th in the bunch sprint on stage 4.

After yesterday’s crash-marred stage, the peloton had decided to stop at the beginning of the stage to make a stand together, pursuing safety changes in the races. Greipel was one of the instigators and took action at the front getting the bunch to slow down.

A while later, the stage continued and the racing begin. Two riders attacked and they quickly opened up a gap on the peloton. For a long time, it seemed like the pack had everything under control but as the riders took on the last 10 km, the last remaining rider at the front still had a gap of over one minute.

In the end, the peloton caught him with just a few hundred meters to go, leaving the sprinters to fight for the victory. Greipel was caught a little out of position and ultimately crossed the line in 10th place.

Tomorrow, the riders will take on a 27.2 km long time trial from Changé to Laval Espace Mayenne.

Andre Greipel: “I think the peloton has to stick together. We agreed on something before the race, but they didn’t stop so I went to the front. Sometimes you have to make a point and I really wanted to follow what we had agreed upon before the race today. Maybe I’m one of the oldest riders in the bunch, so I took my responsibility.”

“We did a good preparation towards the sprint, but we lost each other with three kilometers to go. It’s unfortunate because this was a good opportunity but we have a lot of other opportunities coming up and we will try again. The legs felt good.”

Meet The Team

Israel Start-Up Nation is ready to take on the team’s second Tour de France with eight strong riders focusing on both the general classification as well as stage wins throughout the race.

After a tough selection process, the team is proud to announce the following lineup for the Tour:

• Michael Woods
• Dan Martin
• Chris Froome
• Omer Goldstein
• André Greipel
• Reto Hollenstein
• Guillaume Boivin
• Rick Zabel

Sports manager, Rik Verbrugghe: “It’s never easy to make the final selection for the Tour de France. Every rider has his own skill set to offer and we need to bring them all together, working as a team. This is not just about selecting one rider. We have to select a whole group that works well together towards a common goal throughout the three weeks.”

“To start out, Mike will be our main rider for the GC as Dan already did the Giro. But of course, if Dan can add to that tally in the Tour, it will be perfect for us. In fact, we will take on the Tour similar to how we did the Giro, only that we now have two riders to protect. Looking at the team we are bringing, I fully believe we will put our mark on the race.”

Michael Woods: “I am really excited to represent Israel Start-Up Nation in the Tour de France, especially in a team leader role. I have had an opportunity to lead a team in a Grand Tour before, but never at the Tour de France. I am honored to be given this position, especially considering the quality of the team we have.”
“I love racing GC. It’s really challenging and doing it in the Tour is even more challenging, more intense, and much more stressful. But the way I am riding these days, I am up to the challenge. And with the team that we have, we will be a force to be reckoned with.”

Omer Goldstein: “I love to be part of the game. Of course, the Tour de France is the biggest race of them all and the stress in the peloton will be different. However, I am confident that I am ready to help the team and to have an impact on our quest to support Mike and get a stage win.”

For more information about the ISN lineup for the Tour de France, as well as comments from all the selected riders, make sure to check out our dedicated TDF page here.