Israel Cycling Academy receives Giro d’Italia wildcard invitation
Israel-Cycling Academy, Androni Giocattoli, Bardiani CSF and Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia will take the start in Jerusalem
The organizers of the Giro d’Italia have announced the four teams set to line-up when the race gets underway on May 4 in Jerusalem. Alongside the 18 WorldTour teams the Israel-Cycling Academy, Androni Giocattoli, Bardiani CSF and Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia will start the 101st edition of the Giro.
It was perhaps the worst kept secret in cycling that the Israel Cycling Academy would receive a wildcard invitation to the race with the race starting in Jerusalem. The team bolstered the roster in anticipation of a grand tour ride in the offseason. Amoung the riders who will be vying for roster spots at the Giro will be Canadians Guillaume Boivin and Benjamin Perry.
RELATED: Strong Canadian connection at the core of the diverse Israel Cycling Academy team
What a SWEET moment: Born in Jerusalem just 3 years ago and now will start the historic @giroditalia in the very same place. pic.twitter.com/CeKdIOqjVw
— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@YallaIsraelSUN) January 20, 2018
Canadian Sylvain Adams is a key player behind the scenes at Israel Cycling Academy helping to secure the Giro start for Israel and building the international roster. The Israel Cycling Academy also received invites to Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo.
Italian team Nippo-Vini Fantini of Damiano Cunego did not receive a Giro invitation preventing him from closing out his career at the Italian grand tour as he so wished. Bardiani CSF will start despite Stefano Pirazzi and Nicola Ruffoni testing positive in the days leading up the Giro start.
Androni Giocattoli will return to the race after missing last years edition. They won the season-long Ciclismo Cup in 2017 to secure their place at the Rosa Corsa.
RCS announced Androni Giocattoli and Nippo-Vini Fantini will ride the Strade Bianche on March 3. While the week-long stage race Tirreno-Adriatico will be attended by Gazprom-Rusvelo who raced the Giro last year, the Israel Cycling Academy, Nippo-Vini Fantini and Wilier Triestini-Selle Italia.
The seven teams that will start Milano-Sanremo on March 17 are Bardiani-CSF, Nacer Bouhanni’s Cofidis Solutions Credits, Gazprom-Rusvelo, Israel Cycling Academy, Nippo-Vini Fantini, Team Novo Nordisk and Wilier Triestini-Selle Italia.
