Danish rider Mads Wurz Schmidt has signed a two-year contract with his team, Israel Startup Nation, through the end of 2022, the team announced on Sunday.The 26-year-old classic and time trial specialist is targeting the Tour de Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, the two major spring classics he will target.

Wurz-Schmidt just joined the Israeli WorldTour team this season from Katusha-Alpecin, but he already feels at home and is looking forward to racing for the team for at least the next 2 1/2 years.

"I am now on a team where everything is great and I can grow," he said. My goal with this team is to win the classics, to do well in one-day races and small stage races."

"My goal with this team is to win the classics, to do well in one-day races and small stage races. I want to run in the "finals" and race for the win.

Würz Schmidt is the only Danish rider on the team, but one of his sport directors is fellow Dane and former pro Nicki Sørensen.

"We didn't know each other before we met at ISN, but we understand each other. 'We share the same mentality and he's easy to talk to about personal issues. I felt an immediate improvement."

The former junior and under-23 time trial world champion started the 2020 season with his new team at Challenge Mallorca in late January and ran the Volta o Algarve and Omloop Het Niesbrod in February

In March, in Paris-Nice (the last major stage race before the season hiatus), he finished sixth in the second stage from Chevreuse to Charette-sur-Loing, and ninth in the third stage to La Chatre the next day.

If Wurzschmidt starts in Flanders on October 18, it will be his first participation. On the other hand, he has competed in Roubaix on October 25 for the past three seasons, with his best finish last year coming in 34th place. He is also getting married a week before Flanders.

"I'm going to enjoy that night and forget everything for one night," he said, "and go on a double honeymoon with my future wife and a honeymoon to the Spring Classic with Israel Startup Nation."