When Rotem Tene crossed the finish line yesterday at the Volta a Portugal to claim the first victory of his career, the person he surprised most was himself.
“I couldn’t believe no one had passed me and stolen the win,” he says. “That scenario — of me letting victory slip away — had happened enough times for me to lose faith in myself. Yes, I’d gotten used to losing. I stopped trusting myself to be able to win. I had convinced myself that I was strong enough to be there in the mix, strong enough to lead other riders to their own victories, but when it came to sealing the deal myself — I just couldn’t do it.”
It’s an unusual confession — rare in our sport, rare among athletes, most of whom find it hard to admit their weaknesses. But what makes this story even more compelling is the undeniable fact that, as of yesterday, it’s official: Tene is a proven winner, becoming the third Israeli rider from Israel – Premier Tech to take a professional victory, joining Itamar Einhorn and Oded Kogut.
“It’s truly unbelievable that I finally managed to get this win,” said Tene, still in shock hours after his triumph in stage 8 of the Volta a Portugal. “I’ve been in this sport for five years, racing so many events, and now it’s finally happened… unreal. I’m so happy. It was worth the wait, worth being proven wrong, worth discovering that I do have it in me.”
The 24-year-old from Hod HaSharon had been close to victory on many occasions, especially this season. In fact, his plan that day was to do what he’s been doing so well — help his teammate Brady Gilmore to another win, a formula that had already worked twice in this race, with Gilmore claiming two victories thanks in part to Tene’s lead-outs.
But Academy Sports Director Rubén Plaza had a different idea. “He told me: ‘I want you to win today from the breakaway. You’ve earned this opportunity after the work you’ve done here,’” Tene says. “He almost forced me to go for it, and I thank him for believing in me more than I believed in myself. That belief really moved me. I couldn’t let him down.”
Plaza knew exactly who he could trust. “Rotem deserved the chance after all the work he’s done here,” he says. “Yes, it was a bit of a gamble, but I know what he’s capable of.”
Tene, blessed with both great speed and the ability to handle hilly terrain where pure sprinters struggle, put those strengths to perfect use over the 172km stage. He was part of a breakaway group charging towards the finish and managed to fend off repeated attacks from rivals, determined to execute his winning move at the end.
He adds: “I knew that if I could get to the last corner on the uphill finish without going all out, I could go full gas after the turn, open a gap on the others — and win. And that’s exactly what happened!”
It’s a significant milestone for Israel – Premier Tech’s Israeli riders, who year after year prove they can compete — and win — in top-tier races. Einhorn and Kogut have already done it in recent seasons, and now Tene joins the list.
Israeli Academy Sports Director Lahav Davidson said Tene’s victory was only a matter of time: “He keeps improving, also thanks to riding with the senior team and gaining so much experience. He’s been a key player in leading others to wins, but he had his own chance and showed he can be counted on. It’s a big achievement, especially in such a high-quality race.”
And back to Tene, who learned a surprising lesson about himself. He says: “This gives me a lot of confidence. I hope I get more chances to win. As an Israeli, of course, it’s great to join the list of winners, but I think Israeli riders have long since proven they’re not here just because of their passport.”