Canyon-SRAM sign Israeli champions Shapira and Gafinovitz

Image 1 of 4

Canyon-SRAM announced on Wednesday the signing of two new riders to their 2019 roster: Israeli national road champion Omer Shapira and Israeli national individual time trial champion Rotem Gafinovitz. The team also recently announced the signing of Zwift Academy winner Ella Harris, and will announce the final roster in January. 

Shapira has a background in mountain biking and was back-to-back national road champion in 2017 and 2018. She joins the team from Cylance. At 24, she is looking forward to her position with the world-class team.

“I’m feeling very excited and motivated for 2019," Shapira said. "I think Canyon-SRAM is the best place that I could ask to be.

"I’m looking forward to the racing and spending time with the team. I believe it will help me grow further as a rider and a person. I want to be part of the team’s efforts in races and I want to feel a real part of this group of people off the bike. I see my role as supporting my teammates in many big races and helping the team achieve success in the hilly stage races."

Gafinovitz, who raced with WaowDeals in 2018, is the national time trial champion. She echoed her compatriot, expressing her excitement at joining Canyon-SRAM in 2019.

"I’m really, really excited to be part of the Canyon-SRAM family in the upcoming season. I see it as a great opportunity and a chance to develop and learn to be a better bike racer and human," she said.

"I’m looking forward to sharing some great moments with the team, and I’m excited to see what happens. My main goal of the season is to make a big step forward to make 2019 an extraordinary year."

Gafinovitz and Shapira will join the team at the upcoming training camp in Spain in February, as will new signings Harris and Hannah Ludwig.