Israel Cycling Academy confirms Travis McCabe signing
WorldTour team Israel Cycling Academy confirms the signing of Travis McCabe for 2020.
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Israel Cycling Academy has finalized a deal to sign Travis McCabe, several weeks after rumors emerged that the American sprinter was headed to the WorldTour team.
McCabe, winner of four stages of the Tour of Utah and three stages of the Tour of Langkawi, will make his WorldTour debut in 2020 at age 30.
“ICA has always raced in the States and I feel like I have always competed against the guys in international races as well, so it is pretty cool to finally come aboard, especially now that Israel Cycling Academy has made the step up to WorldTour,” McCabe said in a release.
McCabe has made steady progress through the domestic North American cycling scene since 2013, when he turned professional with the Smart Stop squad. In 2016 McCabe asserted himself as a versatile sprinter in the domestic ranks, winning stages of the Joe Martin Stage Race, Tour of the Gila, and Tour of Utah.
The successful season helped McCabe sign with the UCI Pro Continental squad Team UnitedHealthCare for 2017, and he rode for the outfit for two seasons. McCabe was one of several riders to find himself without a contract for 2019 after UHC dissolved following the 2018 season. He inked a small deal with Floyd’s Pro Cycling in order to stay in the sport.
“I feel like one of my goals has always been about progression, and this is another part of it,” McCabe said. “I want to prove to myself and others that I have always belonged in Europe racing at the top level and so I am really looking forward to the what the future within the Academy holds.”
The decision allowed McCabe to turn heads in 2019; he won stages at Langkawi, Gila, and the points jersey at Utah. He also finished a close second to Peter Sagan at the opening stage of the Amgen Tour of California. Those results grabbed the attention of Israel Cycling Academy, which stepped into the WorldTour ranks after purchasing the WorldTour racing license from Team Katusha-Alpecin.
The squad has hired veteran springer Andre Greipel for 2020, and McCabe will help with the German’s lead out.
“Travis has gotten some wins every year and although he has not raced so much in Europe, he does have a lot of experience,” said Kjell Carlström, ICA’s director, in a release. “Travis will therefore also play an important part of the lead-out.”