Mid-season transfers are unusual in cycling, however, Dylan Teuns has made the move from Bahrain Victorious to Israel-Premier Tech with immediate effect.
A brief statement published on social media by the state-backed Bahrain Victorious team read:
“Thank you Dylan Teuns for an unforgettable four years with us and your amazing victories at the Tour de France and La Flèche Wallone.
"We wish you all the best. With no races planned for Dylan following the Tour de France, it has been agreed that Dylan will race for his new team for the remainder of the year to help transition for the upcoming seasons.”
Not long after the announcement of his departure from Bahrain Victorious, Israel-PremierTech announced the arrival of the 30-year old Belgian with current Israel rider Guy Sagiv leaving the Sylvan Adams-backed team to make room for Teuns.
Israel-Premier Tech are facing relegation from the WorldTour, and the acquisition of Teuns will provide much needed ammunition in their hope for UCI points in the latter half of the season
Teuns will ride the Vuelta a España and the Italian end of season races later this summer.
After a successful early-season, Teuns explained that the opportunity to join the team was already in the pipeline.
He said: “I was already talking to Israel about joining in 2023 but then Sylvan Adams offered me the chance to make the switch now and start my contract immediately, which I am really grateful for.
"I had three and a half great years with Bahrain Victorious where I won my biggest races and I want to thank them for everything. I am really excited for this new chapter and can’t wait to race with Israel–Premier Tech.”
Teuns added: “Israel–Premier Tech is a team that has really stepped up over the last years and it was great to see the team bring home two stage wins at the Tour de France. I think the team is on the way to becoming one of the top teams and this is a great time to join and deliver some more results."
Israel-Premier Tech landed two huge victories, worth 120 points each, at the Tour de France through Australian rider Simon Clarke and Hugo Houle. Although unfortunately the team won’t benefit from points Teuns earned at Bahrain Victorious earlier in the season. Teuns has already landed 1,023 points in 2022 and he’ll now need to score at least 172 or more to be included in the team’s top 10 scorers in order for his points to count at the end of the season.
On the mid-season transfer, Sylvan Adams said: “Dylan Teuns is a versatile rider and gives Israel–Premier Tech more depth in both the Classics as well as the Grand Tours. He is also a proven winner, which I know will continue as he rides for our team.”
Meanwhile, the team also announced a two year contract extension for Simon Clarke. The Australian won the dramatic cobbled stage in Arenberg at this year’s Tour de France.
Clarke said, “It has been a huge roller coaster in 2022 for me. Obviously ending the 2021 season with no team and then just chipping away, staying committed nonetheless, then getting a chance with Israel-Premier Tech, and then going on to having what has probably been one of the best seasons of my career.”
He concluded: “It was an easy decision to stick with the people that gave me that chance for the future.”
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