Premier Tech urges Israel-Premier Tech to drop 'Israel' from team name after Vuelta protests

Premier Tech has asked the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team to drop the word 'Israel' from its name, saying the current situation is no longer sustainable for the sponsor to continue its involvement in cycling after riders were targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters during the Vuelta a Espana.

The calls for branding changes come as the team faced disruption at cycling's Grand Tour, including interference during the race’s early stages and pressure over its identity amid the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations disrupted the Vuelta, including an interruption of the team's time trial on stage five when four riders stopped to avoid collisions with protesters unfurling a banner. The team had already removed the 'Israel' name from its jerseys during the race.

Factor, the British-based bicycle maker and one of the team’s backers, has voiced similar concerns. In an interview with Cycling News, Factor founder Rob Gitelis said, "Without a name change, without a flag change, we won’t continue." Premier Tech, in a separate statement to Radio Canada, said, "We are sensitive and attentive to the situation on the international scene, which has evolved considerably since our arrival on the World Tour in 2017. However, the current situation regarding the team name is no longer sustainable to achieve our goal, which is the very reason for our involvement in cycling."

The Israel-Premier Tech squad is Israeli-registered and owned by Sylvan Adams, a Canadian-Israeli property magnate. The team features five British riders, including four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, and has been working to regain World Tour status after being relegated in 2022. Adams has been closely associated with the Israeli government and international diplomacy efforts, including the Abraham Accords, and was invited to the White House with then-President Donald Trump during those agreements in 2020.

Derek Gee, one of the team’s prominent riders, cancelled his contract with the squad just days before the Vuelta began, leading the team to seek legal advice and support from cycling’s governing body, the UCI, over the contract change. Gee said in a statement that certain issues "simply made my continuation at the team untenable" without detailing the concerns. Tom Pidcock, who finished third at the Vuelta, expressed concern about riders being targeted, saying, "They’re not riding to support Israel, they’re riding because they got an opportunity to race bikes around the world."

The Israel-Premier Tech outfit remains a ProTeam, the second tier of professional cycling, after its 2022 relegation from the World Tour. With substantial backers and ambitions to return to the World Tour in 2026, the team said it is in the planning phase for potential branding changes and will communicate any decisions in due course.