The two times Israeli Champion retire:
“I feel that I reached my max potential. Nobody forced me to leave.
I am retiring on my own terms and proud of it.”
Team Owner Ron Baron: “We offered Roy to continue racing
but I respect his decision deeply.
He has been a role model.”
Tel – Aviv, Dec 2, 2019
Israel Cycling Academy Israeli rider Roy Goldstein (26) has decided to end his career as a pro Cyclist and retire.
The two times Israeli Champion who spent his entire pro career with ICA has decided that it’s time for him to call it quits.
“I was frank with myself, and I felt it’s time to leave on my very own terms. I could have continued racing if I wished to, but after some self-reflection, I have decided that I fulfilled my potential. I am not going to lie to myself: it is not that I am not going to accumulate victories suddenly. So, I decided it’s time to leave with my head high. I spent 10 fulfilling years as a rider and gave it all, fulfilling every moment, accumulating so many experiences and with ICA – I was able to touch my dreams, although not achieving all of them. So, it’s time to move on”.
Team co-owner Ron Baron expressed his mixed feeling after learning the decision from Roy in a meeting between the two. “Roy was with us from day one, so it’s tough for me to see him retire. I deeply appreciate his sincereness. Not every day, you meet a person with Roy’s mental qualities and such an impressive and mature character. We offered him a possibility to continue racing, but he decided it’s time for him to move on, and although painful, I fully respect it. In the name of partner Sylvan Adams and myself, I want to say: Roy, you will always be an ICA. We see him as a great leader and somebody that will return to us in a professional role to lead the next generation of Israeli Cyclists.”
Roy: “I want to thank ICA and especially Ron and Sylvan, for the great support. I gave it all to the team and tasted some great moments and some painful ones. But overall, I got rewarded with fantastic experiences racing all around the world. I love this project and see myself contributing from my experience”.
Roy was born to a cyclist’s family, and he is the elder of three brothers, Omer and Ido, that presently race for ICA. He was known as being an ultimate pro, “always giving 100 percent and being the ultimate teammate”, as the team’s pro manager Kjell Carlstrom put it. We always knew, teammates and directors alike that Roy will do everything we asked to his max. That was unselfishness to admire”.
Roy has taken part in hundreds of days for ICA, including WT races. One of the greatest moments came this year in Tour of California when Roy has led five riders all day breakaways on the pacific highway with his national champion jersey – all broadcasted live for hours. “They were painful but sweet hours,” smiled Roy. “I was so proud.”
