Israel-Premier Tech have removed their name from the team kit for the rest of the Vuelta a Espana after concerns for their riders’ safety.
Pro-Palestine protestors have targeted the cycling team throughout the race, forcing them to come to a near halt during their team time trial on stage five by blocking the road with a banner. The team reiterated on their social media on Wednesday their commitment to continue racing the Grand Tour.
Race organisers met with rider representatives before stage 11 to discuss rider safety, before then having to neutralise the finish with three kilometres to go due to the scale of the protests.
“In the interest of prioritizing the safety of our riders and the entire peloton, in light of the dangerous nature of some protests at (The Vuelta), Israel – Premier Tech has issued riders with team monogram-branded kit for the remainder of the race,” the statement from the team — whose co-owner Sylvan Adams has referred to himself as the “self-appointed Ambassador at large for the state of Israel” — read.
“The team name remains Israel-Premier Tech but the monogram kit now aligns with the branding decisions we have previously adopted for our vehicles and casual clothing.”
In the interest of prioritizing the safety of our riders and the entire peloton, in light of the dangerous nature of some protests at @lavuelta, Israel – Premier Tech has issued riders with team monogram-branded kit for the remainder of the race. The team name remains Israel –… pic.twitter.com/Dfw6FXegpM
— Israel – Premier Tech (@IsraelPremTech) September 6, 2025
Friday’s stage was also disrupted, as the breakaway group was forced to stop for around 30 seconds at the base of the Alto de l’Angliru due to pro-Palestine activists.
Q36.5 rider Tom Pidcock is among multiple riders in the race who have voiced concerns over rider safety due to the protests.
“Putting us in danger isn’t going to help your cause. That simply isn’t going to help what they’re protesting for,” he said to reporters after the neutralised stage 11. “Everyone’s got a right to protest whatever they want, but putting us in danger is not the way forward.”
Saturday’s stage will be the first one with the newly-branded Israel-Premier Tech kit, as the peloton face the mountains from Aviles to La Farrapona.
(Photo: MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)