Ron Baron, co-owner of Israel's Startup Nation, did little to dispel rumors at a press conference on Wednesday that the team is trying to acquire Chris Froome from Team Ineos. Baron said he expects the team's budget to increase in 2021 and that "we are talking to the best riders in the world."

In its first year on the World Tour, the team took over the top-level license held by Katusha Alpecin and acquired many top riders for the 2020 season. Paris-Roubaix runner-up Nils Pollitt, Rick Zabel, and Alex Dowsett were retained from Katusha, while Dan Martin joined from UAE Team Emirates and sprinter Andre Greipel after a disappointing year with Alcare Samsic.

Martin has three top-10 finishes in the Tour de France and is currently the team's top Grand Tour contender.

Baron did not mention whether a mid-season acquisition of Chris Froome was planned (Cycling News understands that Froome will remain with Ineos until his contract expires this year), but hinted that the team will continue to grow and expand next year. This year's team may not be strong enough to contend for a Tour de France win, but that could change in 2021.

"All I can say is that a lot of great riders want to come to our team. We are talking to some of the best riders in the world. If that happens, we'll hear from them again," Baron said.

Four-time Tour de France winner Froome was seriously injured in a crash while previewing the time trial course at the 2019 Criterium du Dauphiné. He suffered a number of injuries that could have ended his cycling career, but he regained his health and returned to the peloton with an unheralded performance in the UAE Tour.

With Tour champion Eoghan Bernal and 2018 champion Geraint Thomas on the Ineos team, there was no guarantee that Froome would be selected for this year's Tour squad; all bets were off for 2021.

Team Ineos' budget this year is "considerably larger and hardly on the same playing field" than the Israeli Startup Nation, but Baron expects the team's funding to increase next year, and the coronavirus pandemic has been a major blow to many sponsors, including CCC With the blow to the team, many top talents will be on the transfer list.

"Several teams are facing difficulties this year and several will not make it this year. It's a challenging year, but also an opportunity for teams like ours."

The Coronavirus pandemic put a stop to the team's ambitions in March, but the team had three victories: a stage at the Vuelta a San Juan by Rudi Barbier, a stage at the Tour of Antalya by Mikkel Lime, and Le Samin by Hugo Hofstetter. The Grand Tour teams have not yet been named, but Baron said they will be divided into three "bubbles" for safety reasons.

"We may get some riders who can compete. We're going to strengthen our team, we're going to have a bigger budget, and we're very ambitious in terms of performance. It depends on the sponsors, but I think next year's budget will be much stronger."

"There are teams that will race in France, teams that will race in Italy, and teams that will race elsewhere," Baron explained. We are going to have the same logistical staff in every country - mechanics, management, and riders - so that in case there are any problems with COVID-19, we won't be mixing with each other."

"It is the second half of the racing season and we want to be successful, but as we all know, there are many uncertainties.