Israel-Premier Tech expands strong British contingent with surprise classics revelation of 2025

Askey had a very good 2025, in which he recorded a string of podium finishes in March in the Omloop, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, Samyn, Strade Bianche, Nokere Koerse, and Denain, among others. He also finished third twice in the Tour de Suisse and completed the Tour de France. He also won a stage in the Four Days of Dunkirk and the Boucle de l'Aulne.

Kjell Carlström, general manager at Israel-Premier Tech, is delighted with his new signing. "Lewis Askey is a rider we have had our eye on for a while,” explains Carlström. “Having been promoted to the WorldTour at a young age, Lewis already has a wealth of experience, and he’s still only 24 years old. His victories this year were confirmation of what we knew he was capable of, and we believe the best is yet to come, so we are excited to see Lewis develop further in IPT over the next three years."

"Lewis will play a key role in our Classics team,“ explains the Finn. ”He will take on an important leadership role at one-day races, while also adding depth to our stage race rosters. Beyond performance potential, one of the biggest things we look at when signing new riders is how they will fit into the team culture, and with Lewis, we do not doubt that he is an excellent signing across the board and will really thrive in our team environment.“

Askey himself is also happy with his transfer. ”Groupama FDJ did a lot for me and I’m thankful for my time with them, but it felt like the right time to move on,” Askey explains. “I need some new motivation, new faces, new style, fresh air, and new ways of thinking. I’m at a point in my career where I should be coming into my best years, and I feel like moving somewhere else will give me the extra gear, the motivation to step up and try new things."

“I started speaking with IPT quite early in the season, and then I went on to take my first two wins. That was already a turning point for me, and a lot of people might not realise it happened in that order. It gave me relief and freedom so I could take more risks without the stress of failing. That release, being able to race on instinct and take risks, without the pressure, made a huge difference to my season.”

“From the beginning of our conversations, everything felt very professional from the start – from the research, training, nutrition, altitude planning, and analysis,” Askey continues. “Secondly, I already know so many people at the team – not just UK riders but others too, close mates I spend a lot of time with. And I’ve learned it makes a huge difference when you’re racing with people you genuinely want to race for, because you’re a team that wants each other to succeed, not just because you’re paid to do it.”