Israel-Premier Tech have been barred from this weekend’s Italian one-day classic Giro dell’Emilia over fears pro-Palestine protests could see a repeat of the Vuelta a España, where disruption from demonstrations saw crashes and racing suspended multiple times.
The 110th edition of the prestigious one-day classic takes place on Saturday, the race finishing with its traditional Bologna circuit that takes in multiple ascents of the iconic San Luca climb. Protests over Israel-Premier Tech’s place on the startline were expected, BBC Sport noting the historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region has a large student population and a long history of left-wing politics.
Israel-Premier Tech 2025 Tour of Britain (credit: SWpix.com/Simon Wilkinson)
Last week, pro-Palestine protesters clashed with police in Milan during a nationwide strike called by trade unions against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Further protests were expected at Giro dell’Emilia, pressure growing last week on the race’s organisers which has culminated in race director Adriano Amici announcing that Israel-Premier Tech will be removed from the startlist “for the safety of all athletes, technical staff and spectators”.
The team called the decision “extremely regrettable”, arguing “threats of violence have disrupted our sport”.
Critérium du Dauphiné 2025 Israel-Premier Tech (credit: ASO/Tony Esnault)
“Israel-Premier Tech has been informed that our invitation to the Giro dell’Emilia has been withdrawn,” a spokesperson said. “The organisers have cited security concerns linked to planned protests that threatened to disrupt the race. We find it extremely regrettable that threats of violence have disrupted our sport.”
Pro-Palestine protests lead to stage 16 of the 2025 Vuelta being shortened (credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
The pressure is mounting on Israel-Premier Tech, the team’s bike sponsor Factor and title sponsor Premier Tech both going public with their desire for the team to drop ‘Israel’ from the name.
Canadian company Premier Tech said the situation “is no longer sustainable” and it expects “the team will evolve towards a new name that excludes the term Israel, and that it will adopt a new identity and brand image.”
Factor CEO Rob Gitelis went further and raised doubts about whether Israel-Premier Tech will continue to use its bikes next season.
“I’ve already told the team: Without a name change, without a flag change, we won’t continue,” Gitelis said. “It’s not a matter of right or wrong any more. It’s become too controversial around our brand, and my responsibility is to my employees and my shareholders, to give them maximum space with which to grow this company and make it profitable. Adding additional level of conflict or complexity, we just can’t accept that any more.
2025 Tour de France Israel-Premier Tech Factor Ostro Vam (credit: IPT Cycling)
“It’s no longer a personal thing of I support this or I support that. There’s just a certain level of controversy we just can’t have surrounding the brand.”
Israel-Premier Tech’s presence at the Vuelta sparked widespread protests which grew through the first week and escalated as the race reached the Basque Country. The Bilbao stage was neutralised before the final stage in Madrid was abandoned after protesters stormed the finish circuit, making news headlines around the world.
Pro-Palestine protests in Madrid, 2025 Vuelta (credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Throughout the three weeks, numerous crashes were caused by protesters running into the road, riders repeatedly expressing fears for their safety and putting the team under pressure to withdraw to bring an end to the protests.
Pro-Palestine protests lead to stage 16 of the 2025 Vuelta being shortened (credit: undefined)
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the team, praising riders and staff for “not giving in to hate and intimidation, while team boss Sylvan Adams said they would “not surrender to terrorists” and will “never ride without the name Israel”.
During the Vuelta the team told us it would not change its name, but did finish the race in kit that omitted mention of Israel.
While Israel-Premier Tech is not officially state-owned, instead funded by Canadian-Israeli billionaire Adams, it has received some funding from Israel’s ministry for tourism and Adams – who attended Donald Trump’s inauguration, encouraged US attacks on Iran in June, and called on Israel to “finish the job” in Gaza – has described the team as “ambassadors” for Israel and a means of promoting a “more realistic vision” of modern Israel.
The Vuelta protests have already raised worries about next year’s Tour de France, which is due to start in Barcelona. Ex-UCI president Brian Cookson suggested that cycling’s governing body should introduce a new rule banning professional teams from featuring nation states in their names.
Israel-Premier Tech rider and Palestine protester; Brian Cookson (credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Barcelona City Council confirmed that it has no plans to cancel next year’s Tour start, though the local authority has made it clear that the Catalan city aims to host the race without a team bearing Israel’s name or flag.
“We want the teams competing under the Israeli flag, in the same way as has happened with Russia, to stop competing under this flag,” sports councillor David Escudé said.
The UCI, however, accused the Spanish government of “exploiting sport for political purposes” by backing the demonstrators’ protests against Israel-Premier Tech’s participation at the Vuelta.
Pro-Palestine protest, stage 11, 2025 Vuelta, Bilbao (credit: RTVE)
Describing the protesters’ actions as “militant”, the governing body’s statement condemned the “unacceptable and counterproductive” stance taken by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who called for Israel to be banned from all sports events following the cancelled Madrid stage, arguing that the nation should not be permitted to “whitewash” its “barbarism” in Gaza.
“We regret the fact that the Spanish Prime Minister and his government have supported actions that could hinder the smooth running of a sporting competition and, in some cases, expressed their admiration for the demonstrators,” the UCI said.
Doubling down on the statement, UCI president David Lappartient this weekend argued at the World Championships that Israeli athletes are “welcome” at races and “sport is not a tool for punishment”.
David Lappartient (credit: ASO/Charly Lopez)
In defence of Israel-Premier Tech he said that “if we start excluding one team, next year it will be another, on another issue”.
“The IOC has confirmed our position. We are not a tool for sanctions; we are a tool in the service of an ideal of bringing people together with the unifying power of sport, with the aim of promoting peace. And peace does not come through exclusion,” Lappartient said.
“So yes, Israeli athletes are welcome, just as Palestinian athletes are welcome when we host them at our competitions, just like all athletes from around the world. That is truly the power of the Olympic movement.
“It is perfectly normal for them to be here, because we believe – and I am speaking on behalf of the UCI, but I could almost say that there are also Olympic values – that sport is not a tool for punishment.”
He added: “Look at the Olympic Games in Paris: all countries were present, and although Russian athletes competed under a neutral flag, they were still there. We believe that no athlete should be deprived of the opportunity to participate in a competition.
“This position is contradictory to the Olympic values of unity, mutual respect, and peace. It also calls into question Spain’s ability to host major international sporting events, ensuring that they take place in safe conditions and in accordance with the principles of the Olympic Charter.
Ethan Vernon and Jake Stewart, Israel-Premier Tech, 2025 Tour of Britain (credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)
“The Russian Olympic Committee is suspended because it has incorporated the four oblasts that belong to Ukraine into its statutes and because Russia attacked Ukraine during the Olympic truce that was unanimously voted for by the United Nations.”
The Giro dell’Emilia represents the beginning of Italy’s end of season one-day classics, all building to the final Monument of the season Il Lombardia. Tadej Pogačar won last year’s edition, Israel-Premier Tech’s Canadian climber Michael Woods finishing fourth.