Israel \u2013 Premier Tech\u2019s woes continue. On Thursday, the team announced it will not compete in three races in Italy, citing security concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn light of security concerns, Israel\u2013Premier Tech will no longer be racing Coppa Bernocchi, Tre Valli Varesine or Gran Piemonte next week,\u201d the team told Cyclingnews<\/a>.<\/p>\n This latest development follows the news that organizers at Saturday\u2019s Giro dell\u2019Emilia would not be inviting the ProTeam, citing security concerns.<\/p>\n The latest in a series of problems for the team<\/p>\n The decision comes after a dramatic Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a. 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\u2019s \u201cself-appointed ambassador.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Israel competes at the European cycling championships, here\u2019s why<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, the team won\u2019t be able to start,\u201d Giro dell\u2019Emilia president Adriano Amici told Reuters<\/a>. \u201cWe made this call to protect public safety. The climate is very tense and it would put both Israel\u2013Premier Tech and the rest of the peloton at risk. This was not a sporting decision\u2014it was simply unavoidable.\u201d<\/p>\n ProSeries vs. WorldTour<\/p>\n The Giro dell\u2019Emilia is a ProSeries event, therefore race organizers are not obliged to invite the Canadian-backed squad. Israel\u2013Premier 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.<\/p>\n