Israeli cycling champion Omer Goldstein to compete in Tour de France
Goldstein is one of four Israelis competing with Team Israel Start-Up Nation and will seek to defend his Israeli title on Saturday.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: JUNE 17, 2021 14:02Israeli cyclist Omer Goldstein(photo credit: BETTINI PHOTO)
Israeli cyclist Omer Goldstein will look to bring his aggressive style of cycling to his first Tour de France this year with team Israel Start-Up Nation. Goldstein, 24, already competed in the UAE Tour and the Tour of Catalunya to Dauphine. His previous performances earned him high praise from ISN's sports manager Rik Verbrugghe. "Omer is what I call an 'offensive rider'," Verbrugghe said. "He is always ready to jump on a challenge with absolutely no fear."Goldstein said competing the Tour de France was "a dream I had since I was a kid." Verbrugghe said Goldstein will be tasked with assisting Mike Woods, the team's leader. He expects to utilize Goldstein in breakaway situations and in mid-range mountain stages of the race. A breakaway is when a cyclist tries to separate himself from the pack, or the peloton, in order to steal a race at the finish line. Goldstein said he fantasized about having that opportunity. "I always imagined myself being there in the front, in a mountain stage breakaway, going for it, not really concerned if they catch me or not, as long as I'm going full gas and giving it my all," he said. Goldstein also developed a relationship with Tour de France legend Chris Froome, who won four editions of the Tour, including three consecutive victories from 2015-2017. The two racers trained together in high-altitude training camps and raced together in a four-stage race since Froome's signing. They will compete together in this year's Tour. "I respect him so much, he has been a real mentor," Goldstein said. "Advising me, talking to me about the little details that can make a difference. I just love to race and train with 'Froomey'." Goldstein will be one of the four Israeli cyclists on the 28-man team. The other three are Guy Niv, Guy Sagiv and Itamar Einhorn. Goldstein is a graduate of the U23 Israel Cycling Academy. Before the Tour, Goldstein will seek to defend his championship title Saturday at the Israeli championships. The Tour de France starts on June 26 and will conclude on July 18.
