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168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Israel Cycling Academy's presence at the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:2018 Giro d'Italia, which starts in Jerusalem, seems to be a certainty, but team backer Sylvan Adams played a straight bat when asked about the prospect earlier this♎ week, carefully stressing that RCS Sport will not formally divulge the four invitees until January.

With the Giro in mind, Israel Cycling Academy has🐲 looked to add WorldTour experience to its roster, with Ben Hermans (BMC) and Rubén Plaza (Orica-Scott) the two most hig𒐪h-profile signings during its recent transfer campaign.

In Jerusalem on Monday, Israel Cycling Academy announced another a new signing whose significance is not limited to the sporting sphere. Four-time Turkish national time trial champion 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Ahmet Orken will ride for the team in 2018, and will be the first rider from a Musli♉m-majority countr🍬y to ride for the team.

Diplomatic ties between Turkey and Israel were downgraded following the Gaza flotilla raid of 2010, and though their ambassadors were restored last yea꧟r following intense negotiations, relations remain cool.   

"We try to use the team as a platform for sports diplomacy, we want to change what people think of our country," said Israel Cycling Academy manager Ran Margaliot, who paid tribute to Orken's decision to sign for the team. "Israel and Turkey haven't had the best relations in the last year💛s, but you are taking a very strong and courageous decision to race with us."

Orken has ridden for the Torku Sekerspo🅺r squad since 2012, and will become the first Turkish rider to compete at Pro Continental level. He was presented to the media ꩲwearing the star and crescent-bedecked skinsuit of Turkish time trial champion, and took his place on stage alongside Israeli road race champion Roy Goldstein and time trial champion Guy Sagiv.

"There can be problems between countri🐈es, but when you just put that to the background, people can be friends with each other. Next year, I'll race with Israeli teammates, and we'll all help each other," Orken said.

"I received great support f🤡rom all of my friends and supporters in Turkey for my move to the Israeli group. Everyone was in favour. I have had a great opportunity to progress as a rider and this is my main motivation, but I am also a great believer in helping peace and brotherhood through sport."

The 24-year-old Orken hails from Konya, near Ankara, and competed for Turkey at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2011, he was European Omnium champion at junior level. A strong time triallist and rapid finisher, he claimed two stage wins at t🎃he Tour of Qinghai Lake this s⛄eason, and a stage victory at the Tour of Serbia.

"I really want to ride the Giro," Orken said. "No Turkish rider has ever done that. Cycling in Turkey𒉰 has developed a lot in the last few years and now I want to achieve my dr🦄eam with Israel Cycling Academy."

The 2018 Giro gets underway with a 10.1-kilometre time trial in Jerusalem 𒁃on May 4, and will feature stage finishes in Tel Aviv and Eilat before the race caravan proceeds to🍃 Sicily for stage 4.