Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has expressed his support for Israel-Premier Tech being expelled from the 2025 Vuelta a España, amid the continued pro-Palestine protests that have disrupted the race and caused stage 11 in Bilbao to be cancelled.
The team’s ongoing participation in La Vuelta has been the subject of several protests, with their team time trial effort on stage 5 in Figeures also being blocked by protesters and Simone Petilli (Intermarché–Wanty) crashing on stage 10 after demonstrators ran into the road.
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Albares spoke on Radio Nacional de España (RNE), Spain’s public radio broadcaster, confirming his support of the team’s expulsion on Thursday and discomfort with seeing Israel-Premier Tech continue to feature at the Vuelta.
“I understand it, and I would certainly be in favour of it,” Albares said, when asked if he thinks they should be removed from the race, before noting that it’s a decision that can only be made by the sport’s governing body – the UCI.
Albares also cited Russia’s expulsion from sports competitions after the invasion of Ukraine as he made his points about IPT. In March 2022, the UCI suspended all Russian and Belarusian teams – this decision, made after the International Olympic Committee’s recommendation, banned teams such as UCI ProTeam Gazprom-Rusvelo.
“They have to understand that Europe and Israel can only relate – as stated in Article 2 of the Association Agreement – when human rights are respected, because as democratic countries, we base and relate to each other in that way.”
While the power to remove Israel-Premier Tech from the Vuelta lies with the UCI, the race organiser has had to comment on the situation, with technical director Kiko García telling media that he hopes whatever decision is taken is that it is done quickly after the neutralised Bilbao stage.