Chris Froome to race in Israel in 2018
CYCLING Chris Froome will participate in the 2018 Giro d’Italia, which will start with three days in Israel.
Froome’s announcement was part of the official unveiling of the route for the Giro in Milan. The 21 stages of the race were outlined, including the “Big Start” in Israel, beginning with a short time-trial in Jerusalem on May 4.
The race will carry with it a message of peace, coexistence and the power of sport to bring people together.
Froome will look to make history and become only the third cyclist to hold all three Grand Tour titles at once – The Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana. A field of 176 of the world’s leading riders will begin against the backdrop of Jerusalem’s Old City. The competitors will ride from the north of Israel to the tip of the Red Sea.
The second leg between Tel Aviv and Haifa covers 187km, with the finish on the flat seafront after 167km.
The third and final leg in Israel will start in Beer Sheva and finish on the Red Sea in Eilat, including a designated mountainous climb on the Ramon Crater. Eilat will be the southernmost point touched by the Giro d’Italia in its history.
Sylvan Adams is the Honorary President of “Big Start Israel” and he is also the driving force behind the development of Israeli cycling and bringing the Giro to Israel.
Adams said: “The Giro d’Italia has 100 years of tradition. But the 101st edition next May will make history, as it begins in Israel, the first time that a Grand Tour will race outside of Europe.
“Tracing a path, both physical and symbolic, from Jerusalem to Rome, next year’s Giro will exemplify brotherhood between cultures and religions, expressing peace and coexistence through the universal language of sportsmanship.”