Andre Greipel has signed a new two-year contract with Israel Startup Nation to race at the top level into his 40s.

The German sprinter has terminated his contract with Arkea Samsic after just 10 months and joined the Israeli team for 2020, his first year on the World Tour.

Greipel, who replaced Caleb Yuan after eight years at Lot Soudal, was speculated to be considering retirement, but despite the interruption to his debut campaign, the 37-year-old has clearly found renewed vigor at Israel Start-Up Nation.

"To tell you the truth, I thought the team was going to offer me a one-year extension," Greipel said.

"Of course I was very honored and I am happy that the team management has faith in me. Accepting the offer was an easy decision and I'm ready to extend my career and help the team continue to grow."

Greipel debuted with the team at the Tour Down Under in January and stayed in Australia to run the Race Torquay and Cadel Evans road races. However, a broken shoulder forced surgery in mid-February, and the entire season was halted the following month due to a worldwide pandemic of coronavirus.

Greipel had originally planned to end his career in December, but is now set to race until the end of 2021, at which point he will be 40 years old.

"I didn't get the chance to race the whole season, so when the team offered me the chance to stay, I talked to my family.

"I still love racing. The atmosphere in the team is great. We all share the responsibility of making this team successful and bringing results."

"For me personally, I'm ready to go. I've been holding myself back from going too fast because I want to be fresh and ready for the season to start again. I still have the ability to get results, but we all share that responsibility in this team.

The two-year contract is a sign of trust from the emerging Israeli nation. Greipel may have only one win since 2018, but the German, who has tasted more than 150 wins in his career, brings more than that.

"Andre has quickly proven himself to be a rider of great character and outstanding leadership," said team manager Kjell Carlstrom. We appreciate his experience and what he brings to the team in terms of both performance and leadership."

Team owner Sylvan Adams added, "Andre has been a positive force for the team since joining. Despite his impressive track record, Andre handles himself with grace and humility. Even before the shutdown of Corona, Andre was a good mentor to the young riders, especially Itamar Einhorn, the neo-pro sprinter who became the first Israeli on the podium at the Tour Colombia."