Nadav Reisberg says his biggest dream is to win the Israeli national cycling championship for the first time, even after his recent history-making performance in France. Days ago, he became one of the most surprising stories in world cycling by fighting through eight stages of the prestigious Critérium du Dauphiné in the French Alps and winning the green points jersey, awarded to the fastest rider.
“That may sound a little strange,” Reisberg said, explaining that the Israeli title would mean the most to him because it would let him race in major events for a full year in blue and white as national champion. “Yes, the green jersey in France could change my career completely, but there is nothing like representing your country as champion, a title I have not yet won,” he said.
The lack of a national title is an odd gap in an otherwise major career. Two years ago he arrived at the championship after breaking both arms in the Giro d’Italia, and last year he missed it because he was racing the Spanish Vuelta, which became traumatic for him and his team amid violent pro-Palestinian protests. Now his path to the Israeli jersey appears clear.
Reisberg will line up on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. on the Israeli championship course in Beit Guvrin against three of his close teammates from NSN, the defending champion Rotem Tene, and former champions Oded Kugot and Itamar Einhorn. The team plans to let the strongest rider win. “For us, the best rider should win, as long as it is an NSN rider,” said sports director Aviad Yizre’el. Tene called Reisberg the favorite, saying the Dauphiné winner is “above everyone” and in “phenomenal shape,” while Reisberg said he wants an open race and warned that “one crash can end your race.”
