Israel – Premier Tech’s woes continue. On Thursday, the team announced it will not compete in three races in Italy, citing security concerns.
“In light of security concerns, Israel–Premier Tech will no longer be racing Coppa Bernocchi, Tre Valli Varesine or Gran Piemonte next week,” the team told Cyclingnews.
This latest development follows the news that organizers at Saturday’s Giro dell’Emilia would not be inviting the ProTeam, citing security concerns.
The latest in a series of problems for the team
The decision comes after a dramatic Vuelta a España. Several stages were disrupted by pro-Palestinian protests and the final day in Madrid was cancelled outright. Demonstrators repeatedly targeted the Israeli-registered team during the race. While the squad is not backed by the State of Israel and only includes three Israeli riders, it is co-owned by Sylvan Adams, an Israeli billionaire who has described himself as the country’s “self-appointed ambassador.”
According to the organizers, there was chatter that local groups would disrupt the race if the team appeared on the start list. Organizers say given that intel, they were left with few options.
Israel competes at the European cycling championships, here’s why
“Unfortunately, the team won’t be able to start,” Giro dell’Emilia president Adriano Amici told Reuters. “We made this call to protect public safety. The climate is very tense and it would put both Israel–Premier Tech and the rest of the peloton at risk. This was not a sporting decision—it was simply unavoidable.”
ProSeries vs. WorldTour
The Giro dell’Emilia is a ProSeries event, therefore race organizers are not obliged to invite the Canadian-backed squad. Israel–Premier Tech is poised to be WorldTour once again in 2026 and will again have guaranteed entry to WorldTour races, but other ProSeries events are free to exclude the team.
Meanwhile, the team’s future is still clouded. Both the main sponsor, Premier Tech, and bike supplier, Factor, have said the squad must rebrand in order to survive. Several other races in Spain have said that the events would not continue if IPT were planning on competing — including the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2026, which is set to take place in Barcelona.
Israel – Premier Tech has not announced any action as of Friday about the last Monument of the year, the Italian classic Il Lombardia. That race takes place Oct. 11.