Chris Froome is leaving Team Ineos at the end of the season after signing a multi-year contract with Israel Startup Nation. On Thursday morning, Ineos announced that Froome will be leaving the team he joined in 2010.

Four-time Tour de France winner Froome has been in contract negotiations with several teams over the summer, and CyclingNews revealed in May that a mid-season move had been discussed earlier this year. Bahrain McLaren and Israel Startup Nation have been in talks to acquire the 35-year-old.

The mid-season transfer was complicated by a number of factors, including the need to buy out Froome's existing contract; the CCC team was also in the running for Froome, but Israel Startup Nation always took the lead, something Ineos could not offer, namely It could offer full leadership in the Tour de France. Bahrain McLaren's interest waned due to their ongoing financial difficulties, and Froome agreed to sign with an Israeli team after a training camp in France last month.

Now under a five-year, multi-year contract, Froome will move to the Israeli Startup Nation in early 2021. The Israeli team announced the move on Thursday morning.

"Chris' current contract expires in December, but we have decided not to renew it. We make this announcement earlier than usual to put an end to recent speculation and to allow the team to focus on the upcoming season," Dave Brailsford said in a statement released Thursday.

Froome will enter this year's Tour de France with Ineos, looking to win his fifth title, the most in history. Ineos also has two previous Tour winners on its team, with Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas also expected to be among the leaders. Froome's participation in the Tour de France has not yet been confirmed.

It is unclear whether Froom will bring logistics staff from Ineos to the new team, but Israel Startup Nation is already considering several options in the transfer market to improve its stage race team.

"My 10 years with the team have been phenomenal and we have accomplished a lot together. I am looking forward to exciting new challenges as I move on to the next phase of my career, but until then I am focused on winning my fifth Tour de France with Team INEOS," said Froome.

2011

Vuelta a España: 2012

Tour de France: stage 7

2013

Tour of Oman: overall, stage 5

Tirreno-Adriatico: stage 4

Criterium International: overall, stage 3

Tour de Romandie: overall, prologue

Criterium du Dauphiné: overall, stage 5

Tour de France: overall, stage 3

2014

Tour of Oman: overall, stage 5

Tour de Romandie: overall, stage 5

Criterium du Dauphiné: 2 stages

2015

Vuelta a Andalucia: overall, stage 4 Stage

Tour de Romandie: stage 1

Criterium du Dauphiné: overall, stage 2

Tour de France: overall, stage 10

2016

Herald St. Tour: overall, stage 4

Tour de Romandie: overall, stage 4

Criterium du Dauphiné: overall, stage 5

Tour de France: overall, stage 2

Vuelta a España: stage 3

2017

Tour de France: overall

Vuelta a España: overall, 2 stages

2018

Giro d'Italia: overall, 2 stages [77]