The Cycling Academy Team, the first professional team in Israel sponsored by Peter Sagan, has announced its four-year plan, with the plan to do a grand tour in 2018 and even "a historical participation" in the Tour de France.

The continental team, launched in Jerusalem in November last year, has done high-level races like the Tour de San Luis, the Tour of Croatia and the USA Pro Challenge, and achieved victories in the Tour of Azerbaijan, the Tour de Berlin and GP Polski.

Now the Cycling Academy, started as a development team, has made bigger objectives. The goal is to lead the Academy to higher level races and results and to make a grand tour debut in 2018.

The team manager Ran Margaliot is grateful to Sagan "for his valuable contribution and inspiration with his fantastic personality and results on and off the bike. We had a successful year that exceeded our expectations. Our riders have shown they are ready to compete at a higher level which is what we want now. Our next goal is to grow the team to higher levels in the coming years.”

"My ambition is that this social project will inspire and bring together young talent from Israel and other countries," founder Ron Baron said.

"I am happy and proud of the riders at the Cycling Academy Team and their achievements last season. I will continue the success of the team and will always be the number one fan," said Sagan.

In 2015, the roster was made up of the following riders: Yoav Bear, Roy Goldstein, Ben Einhorn, Gabay Guy, Guy Sagiv, Ido Zilberstein (Israel); Emanuel Piaskowy, Wojciech Migdal, Patryk Talaga (Poland); Mario Dasko, Luboš Malovec (Slovakia) and Daniel Turek (Czech Republic). Spaniard Antonio Angulo joined the team in June, but will not continue next season.