Giro d'Italia cycling grand tour - Tel Aviv, Israel - The famous city hall. May 2018
Zahi Shaked A tour guide in Israel and his camera zahigo25@walla.com +972-54-6905522 tel סיור עם מורה הדרך ומדריך הטיולים צחי שקד 0546905522
For the first time ever, a Grand Tour will start outside of Europe. It’s the 13th time that Giro d’Italia starts outside of Italy. Israel will host the first three stages of next year’s Corsa Rosa, beginning with an Individual Time Trial in Jerusalem.
STAGE 1 - JERUSALEM ITT
4TH MAY 2018 - 10,1 KM
The 2018 Giro d’Italia will start on Friday 4 May with an ITT in Jerusalem, following a very technical route finishing close to the walls of the Old City. With numerous bends on streets of the city and small ascents and descents, the route will pass by landmarks including the Parliament (Knesset) and the historic walls. The finale is uphill, with the gradient increasing from light to more demanding.
STAGE 2 - HAIFA - TEL AVIV
5TH MAY - 167 KM
The first in-line stage from Haifa to Tel Aviv, 167km long, is on Saturday 5 May. After the start, the route undulates around Acri and includes the first GPM (KOM) of 2018 Giro in Zikron Yakov. The second part of the route is substantially flat on wide roads, with the last few kilometres partly within the city of Tel Aviv and the finish line on the straight seafront.
STAGE 3 - BE'ER SHEVA - EILAT
6TH MAY - 226 KM
The third and final stage in Israel, on Sunday 6 May, runs 226km from Be’er Sheva to Eilat, on the Red Sea, heading south. After the start, the only gentle climbs lead the peloton to the Negev Desert and then to the Red Sea coast. Once past the town of Mitzpe Ramon, a long descent leads towards the finish in Eilat.
My name is Zahi Shaked
In 2000 I became a registered liscenced tourist guide.
My dedication in life is to pass on the ancient history of the Holy Land.
Following upon many years of travel around the world, which was highlighted by a very exciting emotional and soul-searching meeting with the Dalai Lama, I realized that I had a mission. To pass on the the history of the Holy Land, its religions, and in particular, the birth and development of Christianity.
In order to fulfill this calling in the best way possible, I studied in depth, visited, and personally experienced each and every important site of the ancient Christians. I studied for and received my first bachelors degree in the ancient history of the Holy Land, and am presently completing my studies for my second degree.(Masters)
Parralel to my studies, and in order to earn a living, I was employed for many years in advertising. What I learned there was how to attract the publics attention, generate and, increase interest, and assimilate information. All this I use as tools to describe, explain and deepen the interest in the sites that we visit. From my experience, I have learned that in this way, the Holy Land becomes more than just history, and that the large stones that we see scattered about in dissaray, join together one by one until they become - a Byzantine Church. This also happens when I lead a group of Pilgrims in the Steps of Jesus. We climb to the peak of Mount Precipice, glide over the land to the Sea of Galilee, land on the water and see the miracle which enfolds before us. This is a many faceted experience. Not only history which you will remember and cherish, but an experience which I hope will be inplanted in your hearts and minds, and will accompany you all the days of your life.