One of the stars of this spring - Stephen Williams has unsurprisingly opted to renew with the team where he has achieved his career's greatest successes - Israel - Premier Tech. Williams will stay with the formation for at least another four years.
Before joining the Israeli team, the Welshman spent large part of his career with Bahrain - Victorious where he was unable to fulfill his potential mainly due to lingering injuries. However 2024 was different. The 28-year-old kicked off the season with an overall victory at Tour Down Under, but the real highlight came at La Fleche Wallonne, where he surprised everyone with a powerful early attack to win the popular classic.
"I feel like I have found my place on a team where I can get the best out of myself on the bike," says Williams in a press release. "As we have seen with the way I have been racing, especially from last year’s Giro d’Italia onwards, I’ve taken a real step up. It has been rewarded with some nice results and even though I am fairly new on the team, it feels like I have been here for ten years not one year."
"I'm 28 years old now and the next four years are probably in that window when I become my best and keep improving, so to have this offer from the team gave me huge confidence and I didn’t hesitate to extend with IPT. I am so happy in the team, and I see the way I have stepped up in just one year here so I can’t wait for the next four."
"A couple of years ago, we kind of saved Stevie’s career, or at the very least, a year of his career, when we signed him at the last minute, together with his teammate, Nick Schultz, following the folded BnB Hotels team debacle," team owner Sylvan Adams explains. "Stevie immediately showed us that he is a talented rider, and we have now renewed his contract for the second time. Stevie is a winner, an instinctive rider who understands bike racing. His big wins this year have elevated our team."
Announcing four more years of @stevierhys_96 🙌🏻 The Welsh wonder - and this year’s @tourdownunder and @flechewallonne winner - will ride for Israel - Premier Tech through to the end of 2028! Full story 👉 israelpremiertech.com/stevie-william… #YallaIPT
