Chris Froome samples hummus, tries out his Hebrew in preparation for 2021
Froome was recently signed to the ISN squad back in July of 2020, leaving his former team Ineos to ride out the remainder of his storied career in the Israeli blue and white.
By ZACHARY KEYSERBritish cyclist Chris Froome.(photo credit: ISRAEL START-UP NATION)
As one of the newest members of Israel Start-Up Nation (ISN) - the Israeli World Tour cycling team - Britain's most decorated road cyclist and four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome took the opportunity to get a little acquainted with the Israeli lifestyle in the weeks leading up to the 2021 season.In a short promo video, Froome, alongside his Israeli teammate Guy Sagiv, spent some time sampling some hummus and even had a go at trying out his Hebrew on for size, amid training and preparation for the upcoming season.The short clip features Froome and Sagiv working through their respective training regiments, with the Brit racing up the California coast and the Israeli trekking through the mountain ranges of Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev.After donning his ISN uniform - a first sight for many fans - Froome introduced himself in Hebrew to the camera. "Shmi Froome" (my name is Froome) he said. Throughout the various cut scenes, Froome and Sagiv can be seen conversing with one another both in Hebrew and in English. Froome tried his hand using everyday Hebrew phrases adopted from Arabic such as "sababa," meaning it's all good, and "yalla," meaning let's go.Sagiv calls out to Froome in Hebrew to signal that it's time to go climbing. ""Yalla, bo nilech letapeis ktzat," Sagiv said, which means "come on, let's go climb a little.""Yalla," Froome replied.The video's release coincides with an upcoming ten-day pre-season intensive training camp near Girona, Spain, which will feature nine new ISN riders including Froome.Israeli cyclist Guy SagivAfter completing their respective training sessions, Froome and Sagiv sat down together virtually to chow down on some hummus. Sagiv took up the more scenic venue of eating his hummus at a Bedouin village in the middle of the desert, while Froome took his inside a California studio.So, Chris. How is the hummus?" Sagiv asked Froome."Sababa," Froome said.The British cycling star was recently signed to the ISN squad back in July of 2020, leaving his former team Ineos to ride out the remainder of his storied career in the Israeli blue and white.ISN believes that Froome will be a great addition and leader for this up-and-coming team, hopefully making them a real contender in future races - more notably on the Tour de France, cycling's largest stage.In addition to being a four-time Tour de France champion, the Kenya-born rider has won the Vuelta d’España twice (2011 and 2017), the 2018 Giro d’Italia once where two stages took place in Israel, the Critérium du Dauphiné three times (2013, 2015 and 2016) and seven individual stages of the Tour de France.In 2009, he joined Team Sky, now Ineos, and ran support during Sir Bradley Wiggins' 2012 Tour de France title run, which Wiggins successfully secured with Froome coming in second - it was Britain's first Tour de France title.He would go on to become Britain's most decorated cyclist, winning the Tour four times himself - only two behind Belgian Eddy Merckx, who won it six times throughout the 60s and 70s.
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