The Israel Cycling Academy announced that it has signed Spanish climber Dani Navarro and Belgian all-rounder Yente Biermans, who will join from Katusha-Alpecin, for 2020.

The Israeli pro-continental team's acquisition of Katusha-Alpecin's 2020 World Tour license has raised the question of what will happen to the athletes already signed with Katusha next season, including Navarro and Biermans, but two other players already under contract, Mads Wurzschmidt and Rick Zabel, were announced as ICA riders last week.

Nevertheless, Navarro did not hide his relief at signing with the new world tour.

"I had to spend months not knowing what would happen next," he said. 'I've been anxious ever since May. When I finally got the news that I had a chance to continue with ICA, it was a happy and peaceful moment."

Navarro joined Katusha at the start of the 2019 season after six seasons with Cofidis.The 36-year-old has been running professionally since joining Liberty Seguros in 2005, where he played for Astana and Saxo Bank. 2014. He has four career wins, including a stage win at the Vuelta a España and a stage win at the Criterium du Dauphiné in 2010.

Navarro added that he is looking forward to racing with ICA.

"My impression is that they give the riders great support and a chance to race in peace and quiet. I look forward to cycling again and rewarding the Israeli team for what I can offer."

"And I believe I have a lot to offer. I crashed at the Giro d'Italia and lost six weeks." Navarro continued." Sunweb's Tom Dumoulin also left the race over his crash on the fourth stage of the Italian Grand Tour, while Navarro suffered a broken collarbone and broken ribs, as well as a punctured lung.

"But I'm healthy now and ready to go again. I'm a climber and I've supported many athletes, including Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong, Andreas Klöden, and Roberto Heras. Now I can offer the same in the mountains to Dan Martin and Ben Hermans and overall be stronger for the team."

Biermans, 24, joined ICA after three seasons with Katusha-Alpecin and rode his first Grand Tour, the Giro, with them in 2019.

However, the Belgian's first love is the one-day classic, which is not surprising given his success in such races as a junior and under-23 athlete.

"I became Belgian champion as a junior and won the junior Tour de Flanders wearing that beautiful Belgian champion jersey.

"That's when my love for the classics started. It opened my eyes at a very young age to how big Belgian cycling and the classics are," Biermanns said. And in the U23 category, he finished second twice in Paris-Roubaix.

"So the classics will always be my focus and I hope to be one of the key riders on the ICA classics team in 2020.