Israel Start-Up Nation train at altitude in Andorra – Gallery

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Israel Start-Up Nation made headlines by signing Chris Froome for next season, but the team are already preparing to make their Tour de France debut in 2020, with new arrival Dan Martin set to lead the general classification challenge.

Martin is one of 14 Israel Start-Up Nation riders currently participating in an altitude training camp in Andorra as the squad builds towards the resumption of the top-level calendar following the lengthy hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Irishman and his fellow Andorra residents Alex Dowsett and Dani Navarro were joined over the past week by Krists Neilands, Ben Hermans, James Piccoli, Alex Cataford, Alexis Renard, Guy Niv and Guy Sagiv. The Israeli champion Sagiv and his compatriot Niv are both vying to become the first Israeli participants in the Tour de France, having both lined out at the Giro d’Italia in recent years.

The majority of the team’s climbers and candidates for Tour de France participation have been present at the two-week camp in Andorra, which will come to an end early next week.

André Greipel, another man with aspirations of riding the Tour, is currently on a separate Israel Start-Up Nation training camp in Anzgem, Belgium. The German and his compatriot Nils Politt and Rick Zabel have been availing of the opportunity to reconnoitre the cobbled Classics.

Scroll through the selection of images from Israel Start-Up Nation's Andorra training camp above.