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Q&A With Israel Start-Up Nation GM Kjell Carlstrom

Shortly after the pro racing calendar came to a halt in early March, The Outer Line started a detailed discussion with the WorldTour’s newest team – Israel Start-Up Nation. The team was originally launched as the Israel Cycling Academy in 2014, by Israeli businessman Ron Baron, and pro cyclist Ran Margaliot. Sylvan Adams, an Israeli-Canadian entrepreneur and billionaire philanthropist, joined as a co-owner of the project in 2015 – soon becoming the major driver behind the team, and helping to bring the Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza to Israel in 2018. This was one of the largest sporting events in the history of Israel, and provided a platform for the team to enjoy greater international recognition. In 2019, the team took over the WorldTour license of Team Katusha-Alpecin, brought in a number of top WorldTour riders, changed its name to Israel Start-Up Nation, and jumped to the top...