Israel – Premier Tech’s Unfortunate Vuelta a España Journey Ends Empty-Handed

Israel – Premier Tech’s hopes for a successful Vuelta a España were dashed by early crashes and bad luck, leaving the team without any podium finishes. Michael Woods, the team’s initial leader, crashed and had to abandon the race on stage 3. Carl Fredrik Hagen then became the new designated general classification (GC) rider, but his aspirations were also dashed after a bad crash on stage 6. Sports director Oscar Guerrero expressed the team’s difficulties due to the setbacks, stating, “We found a second leader in Carl…but again, we had super bad luck as he crashed and we lost our second option for the GC.”

With no chances left in the GC, the team shifted its focus to aim for success in breakaways. Daryl Impey’s sprint to second place on day five from a strong break was the team’s best result. Guerrero, however, had a bittersweet feeling about the result, saying, “With 500 meters to go, we thought that the group would bring back Marc Soler and that Daryl would be the fastest guy there…but Soler took back a few seconds and that was enough for him to make it to the line.”

Despite the setbacks, the IPT riders fought hard and consistently gave their best effort. Itamar Einhorn, Alessandro De Marchi, Omer Goldstein, and Hagen each achieved Top-10 finishes on different stages. Guerrero acknowledged the team’s efforts, stating, “In general, after losing first one and then our second leader, I think the guys did well. They were always in the race, fighting for breakaways and giving their all and I can’t complain about anything there.”

Israel – Premier Tech’s Vuelta a España journey may have been plagued by crashes and misfortune, but the team’s resilience and determination remained intact throughout the race.