International Cycling Star Chris Froome Rides in Israel

Chris Froome in Eilat (Israel Premier Tech)

Chris Froome, the legendary cyclist who has won the Tour de France four times, came to Israel where he biked the Israel National Trail. He visited Israel with the Israel Premier Tech cycling team.

“The last 48 hours for me in Israel have been such an eye-opener. Just how diverse the country is in nature, in culture, it’s really just been such an energizing experience,” Froome said in a statement. “It’s been incredible for me to just been able to feel like a kid again: mountain biking, floating on the Dead Sea eating watermelon and having a beer, just really switching off.”

“There’s just so many different landscapes, from the Dead Sea where it’s completely dry and arid, to Tel Aviv, where it’s just so different. You’ve got such a mix of so many different cultures that have come together to make this melting pot of life, of energy,” Froome explained, having experienced the Trail.

“In Israel, you’re able to let your inner self out. It really is a playground. You can do whatever you want, there’s just so much to do here. It’s been an amazing experience.”

Accompanying him on the trip was former professional and Israeli cycling legend, Guy Niv, who was convinced Froome thoroughly enjoyed his time in Israel.

“He experienced Israel in a different way from previous times he visited. Much more relaxed, just like a tourist, and it definitely left a very positive impression on him,” explained Niv. “I’m glad that I had the opportunity to show him our country with all its beautiful and unique aspects.”

Canadian-Israeli philanthropist and Israel-Premier Tech co-owner Sylvan Adams added, “Given the recent atmosphere in the country, I believe that now is the perfect time to showcase the captivating beauty of Israel to the world and remind ourselves of the remarkable land that we all cherish and adore.”

“Chris’s personal voyage of discovery in Israel, when seen by the hundreds of millions of Tour viewers, will surely whet the appetite of new tourists to our country. They will discover, as Chris did, the exotic wonders, adventures and utter enjoyment that a trip to Israel entails,” Adams said.

The Israel National Trail is a hiking trail that crosses Israel between the southern and northern borders, traversing a wide range of landscapes, a rich variety of flora and fauna, and a diversity of cultures.

The trail stretches from Kibbutz Dan, near the Israel-Lebanon border, to Eilat on the Gulf of Aqaba. It was named by National Geographic as one of the 20 best “epic hiking trails” in the world. The INT is approximately 1100 km (683 miles) long. The exact length changes periodically as the Israel Trails Committee makes minor changes to the routing in various locations.

Chris Froome is a Kenyan-British professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI ProTeam Israel–Premier Tech. He has won seven Grand Tours: four editions of the Tour de France (in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017), one Giro d’Italia (2018) and the Vuelta a España twice (2011 and 2017). He has also won several other stage races, and the Vélo d’Or three times.

Chris Froome was born in Kenya to British parents and grew up there and in South Africa. Since 2011 he has been a resident of Monaco. At the age of 22, Froome turned professional with Team Konica Minolta. In 2008, he joined the team Barloworld. The same year he moved to Italy and started to ride under a British license. In 2010, he moved to Team Sky and quickly became one of the team’s key cyclists.

Froome made his breakthrough as a Grand Tour contender during the 2011 Vuelta a España where he finished second overall, later promoted to first, retrospectively becoming the first British cyclist to win a Grand Tour cycling event. He has been dogged by injury since a crash in 2019, but is still hoping to return to his former level.

In 2023, Chris Froome will not be racing in the Tour de France. He was not selected for the Israel-Premier Tech team’s lineup.