Hundreds of fans and supporters cheer the bicycle riders of the 101st Giro d’Italia, one of the most prestigious road-cycling races in the world, as they begin the race in Jerusalem on May 4, 2018. Photo: Yonatan SIndel/Flash90.

JNS.org – The 47th Junior Track Cycling World Championships has begun at the Sylvan Adams National Velodrome in Tel Aviv, marking the first time that the competition is being held in Israel.

The competition started on Tuesday and features roughly 300 under-18 cyclists from 40 countries and five continents. Those in attendance at the opening ceremony included Olympic Committee chair Yael Arad, philanthropist Sylvan Adams, Israeli Cycling Union chair Dafna Ling, Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor Ron Huldai and Knesset member Simon Davidson.

Team Israel is being led by Uri Besh-Duvinsky from the Tel Aviv Cycling Club, who won a medal in July at the European Youth Championships in Serbia, and Oron Argoc, the Israel youth champion from the Masters Haifa team. Other athletes on the Israeli team include Noa Schweki, Hilli Biderman, Uri Bahri and Ron Ben-Efraim.

The competition is being held in Tel Aviv as part of efforts by Adams and the Israeli Cycling Federation to make Israel a leading contender in track cycling.

“The Junior Track Cycling World Championships here at the new Sylvan Adams Velodrome in Israel is an important event in the development of track cycling in Israel,” said Arad. “The exposure to professional levels and inspiration for our sportspeople, and the incredible professional work that is being done in track cycling, will lead to achievements in the future.”