The manager of the newly upgraded Women's WorldTeam, Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad, has confirmed to Cyclingnews that the team will welcome Israel-Premier Tech as financial partners in 2022.
In late January, Ruben Contreras confirmed to Cyclingnews that the Switzerland-registered women's team will keep its official name as Roland Cogeas Edelweiss this year but that Israel-Premier Tech will hold a prominent placement across the front of the newly-designed jersey.
Contreras confirmed that he will remain the team's owner, which joins the 14 top-tier Women's WorldTeam this year, and that it will not operate under the same team management as the men's WorldTour team Israel-Premier Tech. However, he said that the partnership between himself, President and CEO of Canadian company Premier Tech Jean Bélanger, and Israel-Premier Tech partner, Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, is a good fit.
He told Cyclingnews that he could be open to selling the team in the future, but he is currently committed to running the team and developing riders with help from his sponsors and partners.
"The announcement of this partnership with Israel-Premier Tech marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad. We have always believed in a step-by-step approach and, thanks to our new partnership with Roland, we were able to step up to the UCI Women's WorldTour level in 2022 as Switzerland's first women's WorldTour team," Contreras said in an announcement Thursday.
"Now, with Israel-Premier Tech joining as our sponsor, we have an even brighter future ahead of us. I am very happy with this Swiss-Israeli-Canadian partnership which will be rich in shared cultural knowledge and see wonderful progress in the development of our young riders undertaken by passionate people like Sylvan, Jean and myself.
"We will have the opportunity to benefit from Israel-Premier Tech's experience, which is crucial for a team like ours with a strong focus on the development of young riders. We are looking forward to expanding this development program to include Israeli and Canadian riders, starting this season.
"However, our focus is not just on the road, but also on our riders' participation in various social development and humanitarian projects. This includes the construction of houses for the less fortunate, the creation and sponsorship of a cycling school for children in both Siberia and Latin America, and student grants, all under the umbrella of our Rebecca foundation, which very much aligns with IPT's Racing for Change initiative. The partnership is nothing short of a perfect fit."
Contreras confirmed to Cyclingnews that the team will add a 12th rider to the initially-planned 11-rider roster, bringing in Rotem Gafinovitz from Israel, who, he said, played a role in connecting the team with its new partners. "I have a Canadian friend from many years, and he helped me to talk with Premier Tech, and after Rotem spoke with Israel, we negotiated," Contreras told Cyclingnews of the one-year contract, adding that the partners would meet in May to discuss their future plans.
Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad has re-designed their jersey but keeps the signature red colour with a new scalloped-motif with hues of magenta and navy blue. It adds a place for partners Israel-Premier Tech under the title sponsor Roland, a Swiss bakery, and Cogeas, an insurance, real estate, construction, financial and sport management company.
Previously registered at the Continental level in Russia as Cogeas-Mettler, the team has switched to a Switzerland-registered team. They will make their debut at Setmana Valenciana-Volta Comunitat Valenciana Fémines held from February 17-20 in Spain, where the team's new kit, complete with new partners, will be on display.
'We are proud to play a role in their development, sharing our expertise and support' says Adams
The partnership sees Israel-Premier Tech make the first step into women's cycling in what the team indicated could become a long-term collaboration with Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad.
"This is an exciting time for Israel – Premier Tech and we are delighted to partner with Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad. Like we did three years ago, the team is making a significant step up to the UCI WorldTour level and we are proud to play a role in their development, sharing our expertise and support throughout the season," Adams said in the announcement.
"After welcoming Premier Tech as our partner just one month ago, it was a mutual decision to broaden our presence in cycling to include a women's team and a natural next step for IPT, alongside our UCI Continental Team Israel Cycling Academy.
"We identified Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad as the perfect team to sponsor, particularly when it comes to our vision of developing Israeli and Canadian talent and a team that would benefit immediately from our financial and structural support. It is for one year to start with, but we see this as potentially blossoming into a long-term partnership."
Contreras confirmed that Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad would continue to operate as a separate structure with different technical sponsors from the men's WorldTour team this season. However, Bélanger said that Israel-Premier Tech would share knowledge and resources to support the team as they transition to the top-tier of teams racing on the Women's WorldTour.
"In the five years Premier Tech has been in professional cycling, it has always been our vision to be involved in women's cycling. As we start our next chapter as Israel-Premier Tech, it felt like the right time to make it happen. With Sylvan Adams and the IPT management, we agreed that forming a new team was not the right move, and the team's investment and support would have more impact in a partnership with an existing team. I am very happy to see Israel-Premier Tech's presence in cycling expand to women's cycling, and I am sure we will only strengthen this presence in the years to come," Bélanger said in the announcement.
Israel-Premier Tech men's WorldTour, formerly Israel Cycling Academy, was launched as a Continental-level team in 2015 to develop riders to race internationally and inspire the development of riders in Israel. The team moved up to the Pro Continental Team status in 2017, and in 2018 and secured a start at the Giro d'Italia that started in Jerusalem, with co-owner Adams supporting the opening stages of the Grand Tour.
In 2020, as Israel Start-up Nation, the team upgraded to the WorldTour and has had steady growth and success, last year signing Chris Froome and Michael Woods, and recently brought on Premier Tech as a co-title sponsor.
However, a report on January 24 in The Guardian addressed concerns over the use of cycling as a way to elevate international sports to cover Israel's human rights record against Palestinians and what the UN cited as 'flagrant violations under international law'. Adams denied criticism in a letter published to The Guardian on January 30, stating that his support for sports projects in Israel is not 'sportswashing'.
"My sports initiatives, on the other hand, look to move beyond the conflict, building lasting bonds of coexistence and understanding across our complex region," Adams wrote.
As the Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad owner, of which Israel-Premier Tech offers financial partnership, Cyclingnews asked Contreras his thoughts about the recent 'sportswashing' criticism. However, he has not immediately responded. Cyclingnews will update this story with his perspective.
Like the Israel Cycling Academy began, Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad will emphasize developing riders from Israel and Canada. Israeli time trial champion and former road champion, Gafinovitz spent half the season with the Canada-based InstaFund and the later half with Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire team in 2021. She has also raced with Canyon-SRAM, Waowdeals and WM3 Pro Cycling in previous seasons.
In addition, Contreras plans to add one rider from Canada, who has yet to be announced. Six riders are continuing from this year's squad that includes Petra Stiasny (Switzerland), Hannah Buch (Germany), Diana Klimova, Gulnaz Khatuntseva, Tamara Dronova-Balabolina (Russia) and Olga Zabelinskaya (Uzbekistan). Five other newly signed riders are Spaniard Inés Cantera, and Swiss riders Aline Seitz, Caroline Chauveau, Lea Stern and Caroline Baur.
"Israel-Premier Tech is not a minor sponsor, and it's important for them to have a place on our jersey. Step-by-step, and right now, we need to build our work on marketing, communication, developing riders for the next years.
"Maybe we can surprise this year, and our riders can find some good results. I would like to have a strong team in the next few years. We can build this with our sponsors Roland, Israel-Premier Tech, and other sponsors. I've been in cycling since 1999, and you need to have patience, not to have it all at once," Contreras told Cyclingnews.
