Cycling: The Israel – Premier Tech team is set for a landmark season. After mixed results at best in the past three years and the resulting relegation, the team management should question themselves. However, the transfers give no cause for hope.
Israel – Premier Tech was oldie and not goldie
The result is sobering. With 20th place in the UCI World ranking list - mind you, out of 18 WorldTour teams - the Israel - Premier Tech team has been quietly relegated to the second division. With Alpecin - Deceuninck and Arkea - Samsic, two lower-class teams even scored better than themselves. Overall, the team management cannot be satisfied with this performance. Instead of questioning himself, team manager Sylvan Adams threatens the world association with a lawsuit. But it won't do anything: Israel – Premier Tech will no longer be a WorldTour team for the next three years. And apart from the overall result, they were actually able to achieve one or two good results in 2022. Two stages were won in the Tour de France. simon clarke cheered on the 5th stage, the cobblestone section to the Arenberg forest. And Hugo Houle caused a very emotional moment with his victory on the 16th stage. In addition to the daily wins of Daryl Impey and Patrick Bevin at the Tour de Suisse and at the Tour de Romandie, however, these were the only two successes at WorldTour level.
Can the team turn the corner again?
It has been clear for years: The Israel – Premier Tech team is too old. For the most part, the drivers are no longer getting faster, but rather slower. It takes a few years to renew this structure. Being second class could also be an opportunity, as long as the sponsors remain loyal to the team and maybe even new ones can be won. With Alessandro De Marchi, Matthias Brändle, Patrick Bevin, Fredrik Hagen, and Alex Dowsett and other drivers, many over 30-year-olds are leaving the sinking ship. The team reported a total of ten departures and only five additions. In itself a good development, because in the second division Israel – Premier Tech certainly doesn’t need such a large squad anymore. Jens Reynders, Marco Frigo, Derek Gee, Mason Hollyman and Matthew Riccitello are all under 26 years old. It is questionable, however, whether they have what it takes to lead the team back to the first division, or whether the first year after relegation will be an unsuccessful one.