Israel - Premier Tech announce another signing - Former Irish champion adds to classics and sprint firepower
Cycling
Israel - Premier Tech has had problems with being an attractive team and signing new figures but ultimately with the departure of the main sponsor and Sylvan Adams it's finally begun announcing new riders coming in. This Friday, Ryan Mullen has been confirmed as to joining over from Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe.
Throughout Ryan’s career, he has made a name for himself as a dependable teammate with an incredibly strong engine and that’s exactly why we were interested in bringing him to the team,” manager Kjell Calström said in a press release.
Mullen is a rider that will be adding to the classics firepower but most likely play a key part of the team's sprinting ambitons, which will feature Ethan Vernon, Jake Stewart and quite possibly also Biniam Girmay who's been rumoured to join the team.
“Looking ahead to the 2026 season, we identified a gap in what we call our ‘engine room’ so we wanted to find a rider with a big engine who could bring experience and key race intelligence to the team. Not only does Ryan fit the bill, with vast experience when it comes to sprint trains and racing’s most chaotic moments, but he is a strong time trialist in his own right. We believe Ryan will be a great fit from both a racing and culture perspective.”
Mullen is a rider that has got lots of experience at the highest level of cycling, first joining the EF team back in 2015 as a trainee, making it already a decade of World Tour riding. “I’ve watched this team grow throughout my entire professional career, right from its early days as Cycling Academy,” Mullen added. “Seeing how far it’s come makes me genuinely excited about the opportunity to be part of what’s next, because I believe there’s still a lot more to achieve.
The 31-year old has for the past four seasons supported the likes of Pascal Ackermann and Jordi Meeus in the sprints for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, and has now taken the next step in his career. “I also think it’s a great experience to change environments and work with new people – and old friends – all striving toward the same goal: to win bike races. Jerseys may change over the years, but the ambition and drive remain the same.”
“My qualities as a rider are what have brought me to this point in my career. I’m never afraid to get my hands dirty in any race situation—whether it’s fighting through an echelon in Belgium, guiding a GC rider safely through tense moments, or delivering a sprinter at 70kph. I’d describe myself as a bit of a jack of all trades, which allows me to step up and make a difference in a variety of scenarios". Experience and his strong time trialing ability makes him a viable asset for the soon-to-be Canadian team if Premier Tech takes over.
Mullen has 11 pro wins, including three road race national titles, seven time trial titles and a stage at the 2018 Vuelta a San Juan. “At this stage of my career, I see myself as one of the riders who brings valuable experience, and I’m really looking forward to sharing that with my teammates. One thing my teams have always said about me is that I go all in for them. Over the past few years, I’ve also developed into more of a leader, and that’s something I’m eager to contribute to this team.
“For me, the main goal is to build a strong reputation as a dependable and consistent member of the team. I take pride in being reliable and in delivering on any plan that’s put in front of me," he concludes. "I’m excited to be in a new environment where my skills are valued and where I can contribute to the team’s success. The group’s great as well – a lot of the guys live in Andorra like I do, so I’m really looking forward to training and racing alongside them.”
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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Adding 𝙋𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙍 to the IPT engine room 🔋 @ryanmullen9 joins us on a two-year contract from 2026 and will play a key role across IPT’s classics campaigns, sprint trains, and stage race support. #YallaIPT #FactorRacing
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