Israel-Premier Tech have introduced the signing of British expertise Joe Blackmore after the 21-year-old began his 2024 season with a collection of spectacular performances for the ProfessionalTeam’s Continental growth squad.
A flexible rider with expertise in each cyclo-cross and mountain bike, Blackmore is pretty new to street racing. But he has already scored a collection of spectacular outcomes – each at U23 {and professional} degree.
After taking sixth on the Tour du Rwanda and making his Tour de l’Avenir debut in 2023, this season has seen Blackmore take one other huge step up. In February he received two phases en path to the general title in Rwanda whereas racing for the Israel-Premier Tech professional crew, previous to claiming the outright victory within the Tour de Taiwan in March.
Earlier this month Blackmore received the two.2-ranked Circuit des Ardennes, nipping into the lead by three seconds with a stage win on the final day. Last week he confirmed his skills among the many professional peloton with a surprising journey to fourth amid riders of the calibre of Benoît Cosnefroy (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale), Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates), and Michael Matthews (Jayco-AIUIa) at Brabantse Pijl, whereas on Saturday he was on the highest step of the rostrum as soon as once more at Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23.
Hot on the heels of that triumph, Israel-Premier Tech have moved rapidly to safe Blackmore for the skilled squad, bringing him on board on a two-year contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
“I’ve actually loved my first few months with the crew and the race calendar I’ve. I did not count on to win a lot already,” Blackmore mentioned in a press launch.
“I knew that my winter with out cyclo-cross allowed me to coach extra so I anticipated to be a bit stronger than final yr, a bit nearer to the entrance, however I did not count on to win all these races. I assume when you begin successful, you are on a roll.”
Blackmore’s success has naturally seen him draw curiosity from different professional groups, however the Londoner mentioned that he was motivated to stick with Israel-Premier Tech partially as a result of alternatives the crew has granted him.
“Israel-Premier Tech looks like a very good crew, and everyone seems to be caring and supportive,” he mentioned. “I’ve raced up with the ProfessionalTeam a bit already, and I actually just like the setting and the alternatives I’ve been given so I used to be motivated to remain.”
Blackmore additionally outlined a number of targets for the upcoming season and mentioned that he is a rider extra suited to the hilly races, moderately than the mountains or sprints – as his rising palmarès suggests.
“As for my targets, I actually need to go for the win in each race that fits me, and I’ve my eye on the Mountain Bike and Road World Championships this yr,” he mentioned.
“I’m not a pure climber, I’m not a pure sprinter so I believe one-week stage races and punchy one-day races are significantly suited to me and ultimately, I’ll see how I’m going on the Grand Tours.”
He’ll be a part of a promising group of younger riders and new execs on the crew, which had beforehand gained a status for bringing on board big-name riders heading in the direction of the top of their careers.
Paris-Tours winner Riley Sheehan, Giro d’Italia combativity award winner Derek Gee, and Blackmore’s fellow Britons Ethan Vernon and Jake Stewart can be counted amongst that group.
Newly appointed Israel-Premier Tech Academy supervisor Tim Elverson revealed that he had been following Blackmore for a number of seasons earlier than bringing him on board the event crew.
“I first noticed Joe again within the 2021-22 cyclo-cross season and I may see one thing in him so began to keep watch over him. I’ve rolled the cube earlier than bringing riders from cyclo-cross over to the street, so I began working with him from September final yr,” Elverson mentioned.
“He got here to Israel-Premier Tech Academy and embraced the educational curve and has actually settled into the household setting we now have constructed, which I imagine has allowed him to develop rapidly. With the alternatives IPT can supply and the WorldTour construction we now have, the progress he could make is limitless.”
Elverson continued to say that Blackmore may find yourself being suited to a number of Monument Classics as he develops, such is his versatility. As nicely as his latest success on the street, he is additionally received the gravel nationwide title at elite degree plus U23 nationwide titles in each MTB cross nation and cyclo-cross.
“Obviously, Joe could be very a lot on the up and it’s nonetheless unclear precisely what sort of racer he’ll grow to be however my feeling is he’s significantly suited to quick stage races and the Ardennes Classics,” Elverson mentioned.
“Although with the way in which he handles the bike and his love of a tough race, I believe there are fairly just a few Monuments that will swimsuit him. With the expertise we now have on this crew, the one certain factor is there will likely be many wins to return.”