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Guillaume Boivin signs with Israeli Cycling Academy Team

Guillaume Boivin will ride with Israel's Cycling Academy Team in 2016.

Final sprint
November 6, 2015
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Final sprint
Guillaume Boivin (centre) sprints in the finale of the 2015 Pan Am Games road race. The Montreal native will ride with Israeli Cycling Academy in 2016. Photo: Ruby Photo Studio
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Canadian Guillaume Boivin, recently in a 45-km break at the UCI road world championships in Richmond, Va., has joined continental squad Cycling Academy Team, Israel’s only pro squad, for two years. Boivin signs on after a season with Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies.

“He brings a degree of talent and a proven ability to perform at the highest levels,” said Cycling Academy team manager Ran Margaliot. “Signing him is an important step forward in our journey toward the world’s highest levels.”

The Israeli Cycling Academy began in 2014 with Peter Sagan, a former teammate of Boivin’s, acting as an ambassador for the project. It spent its first season contesting races mostly in Eastern Europe, such as the Tour of Bulgaria, the Tour d’Azerbaïdjan and the East Bohemia Tour. It also sent squads to the Tour de San Luis and the USA Pro Challenge. Its ranks contain the Israeli time trial and road champions—Yoav Bear and Guy Sagiv respectively—along with Poles, Slovaks, Czechs and, as of next year, a Canadian and American. Pro continental status is the team’s next goal, and it hopes Boivin’s sprinting prowess will help to achieve it.

“Boivin is a fast sprinter and successful. Has a lot of experience and is still young” said Nicki Sørensen, who’s role as the team’s head sports director was announced Tuesday. “He will play an important role in boosting our team’s performance.”

Boivin became the Canadian road champion and won a stage of the Tour de Beauce in his year with Optum. Before Optum he raced two-years with Cannondale, lining up for the American squad twice at the Vuelta a España. Boivin started his career in 2010 at Spidertech.

“Guillaume is a real talent with outstanding leadership qualities,” said Sylvan Adams, the Canadian board of directors member of the team. “He can be a rouleur, a breakaway rider, and also a sprinter/finisher, both to win races and to support teammates. He will be a great asset to the Cycling Academy and will help develop and promote cycling in Israel as well.”

Cycling Academy Team also announced Friday that Namibian racer and beard aficionado Dan Craven had joined the team after two years at Europcar (to be Direct Energie in 2016).

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