Next year Dennis van Winden will ride for Cycling Academy. The 28-year-old Dutchman comes from LottoNL-Jumbo and has signed with the ambitious Israeli team which is aiming at a pro continental license for the first time.

In 2010 Van Winden made his professional debut at Rabobank and was under contract there until 2014. In 2015, he moved to Synergy Baku in Azerbaijan after having suffered from injury. After several months, LottoNL-Jumbo signe him again. Now Van Winden is seeking for an adventure in Israeli service.

"I can not describe how excited I am," Van Winden says in the press release from the team. "I will bring my seven-year WorldTour experience to the squad. Therefore I have no doubt. We will have fun and get the results that we dream about.”

Manager Ran Margaliot is equally happy .

"Dennis will be there in the classics and in the finale of the sprint stages. He will help us win and can make the difference. That's the pressure we put on his shoulders," said Margaliot.