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news
Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock (picture credit, Berthold Werner).JPGJerusalem set for start of 2018 Giro d'Italia - the first time a Grand Tour will have begun outside Europe
Giro d’Italia organisers RCS Sport have as good as confirmed longstanding rumours that next year’s race will start in Israel after sending out invitations to the presentation in Jerusalem, later this month, of the Big Start of the 101st edition of the race.
It will be the first time any of cycling’s three Grand Tours has started outside Europe, and almost certainly means that the UCI Professional Continental team, Israel Cycling Academy will receive a wild card entry to the race.
Given the tensions in the Middle East, as in many other sports, Israel is considered a European country by world cycling’s governing body, the UCI.
This year has also seen the launch of the first two top tier teams registered in Gulf states – UAE Team Emirates and Bahrain-Merida.
As UCI WorldTour teams, they are obliged to take part in the race, though it’s not difficult to see political issues over their participation developing ahead of next May’s race.
It is believed that the race would begin with a time trial in Jerusalem and spend three days in Israel before recommencing, after an early rest day, with an ascent of Mount Etna on Sicily, also included in this year’s 100th edition.
Clearly, security will be a major concern during the Big Start, and the Israeli government is believed to have committed to ensuring that the event passes off safely.
Hosting the race will help mark the state of Israel’s 70th anniversary, and it is thought likely that Giro will end in Rome, thereby linking what are, in terms of religion, two of the world’s most important cities.
The Big Start presentation will take place at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem on 18 September.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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14 comments
Boycott this garbage. No way is Israel in Europe.
"Given the tensions in the Middle East, as in many other sports, Israel is considered a European country by world cycling’s governing body, the UCI."
Yeah, they cause the tensions, and certainly don't make bicycles like Italy does. What a [bad] joke.
Tell that to the organising committee of the Eurovision Song Contest: those people think bl**dy Australia is in Europe, let alone Israel...
jerusalem?? what the fuck?? there are no other cities in the world??
it's just not kosher!
Simon MacMichael: you need to read some history and change your sub-heading:
"Race owners RCS Sport to announce details of Big Start in Israeli city later this month"
Israel's occupation of Jerusalem is illegal:
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/palestine/ch12.pdf
Considering Israel is isolated and doesn't get to interact with its neighbours on a sporting basis due to the threat of death of its athletes I think this is a kind act. I just hope UAE Team Emirates and Bahrain Merida attend. At present holding an Israel passport bars entry to UAE which suggest an enmity for Israel by this arab state.
I think you'll find the real reason that Israel's neighbours don't interact with Israel on any basis at all is due to the persistant murder and terrorism of their own citizens by Israeli forces.
Really?
Dumb move for the sport, but it's bound to get headlines.
I think you'll find the neighbouring countries have boycotted and plotted the destruction of Israel since its inception in 1947. Their collective forces have tried to destroy it on three separate occasions.
I'm no apologist for Israel's behaviour toward the Palestinian people but the number of likes your post has received suggests a massive ignorance of the recent history of that region.
The massive elephant in the room is Bahrain Merida and Team UAE, countries with hideous human rights records.
They create their own isolation, they've no one else to blame.
I look forwards to the reaction from UAE Team Emirates and Bahrain-Merida
Don't like bringing politics into sport but this decision has all the hallmarks of it being a mainly political one.
Shocking decision tbh.
I think you'll find it was mainly a monetary decision
The Giro has lost the plot.