\u201cThe team name remains Israel-Premier Tech,\u201d the spokesperson told road.cc.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, the team simply requested that the Grands Prix Cyclistes race organisation use the team’s abbreviation IPT for race signage around the course and other branded material.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Israel-Premier](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/zw-2480.jpg\" "\\"Israel-Premier")
Israel-Premier Tech\u2019s Marco Frigo rides past spectator with Palestine flag, stage 7, 2025 Vuelta (credit: Zac Williams\/SWpix.com)<\/p>\n
The move comes after Qu\u00e9bec City Mayor Bruno Marchand\u00a0reassured riders taking part in tonight\u2019s race that significant safety measures are in place, whilst reaffirming the right of protesters to demonstrate.<\/p>\n
In a press conference on Wednesday, Marchand\u00a0told the Globe and Mail<\/a>:\u00a0“There is still a celebration of cycling that we want to have and also allow people who want to protest to do so.”\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, it was announced on Friday afternoon that members of the Montr\u00e9al cycling community will hold a demonstration against IPT’s invitation to participate in Sunday’s race.\u00a0<\/p>\n A group of cycling activists in the city, led by ‘Bikers4Palestine’, released a statement on Friday,\u00a0declaring:\u00a0“Cyclists in Montreal are outraged that IPT is still allowed a platform at the Grand Prix Cycliste.<\/p>\n “As protests continue to dog Israel Premier Tech throughout the Tour de\u00a0France and most recently at La Vuelta\u00a0in Spain, the cycling community of Montreal will keep up the pressure to respond to the global calls for solidarity from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign in Palestine.”\u00a0<\/p>\n World champion\u00a0Tajec Poga\u010dar, who is seeking to defend his title in Montreal,\u00a0admitted to reporters before Friday’s GP\u00a0Qu\u00e9bec<\/a>\u00a0that he was worried about the impact of future protests.<\/p>\n \u201cI think all the riders are a little scared of what could happen,” the four-time Tour de France winner said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don’t talk about it, especially as a peloton, but between teammates, yes. When we see what\u2019s going on at the Vuelta, we talk about it and we think it could happen here or in other races between now and the end of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n Visma-Lease a Bike rider Wout van Aert is also concerned about the pro-Palestine protests.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAt this point, a lot of riders are worried about these demonstrations but also about what is happening in the world,\u201d the Belgian said.<\/p>\n \u201cI am not really aware of what is going on here in Canada. I hope we will have a great race and a few hours of entertainment for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Israel-Premier Tech does not have any formal ties with the government of Israel, Israeli-Canadian co-owner\u00a0Sylvan\u00a0Adams is an outspoken defender of it, proclaiming himself as a “self-appointed Ambassador-at-Large for the State of Israel”.<\/p>\n Bruce Katz, co-president of the Montr\u00e9al-based Palestinian and Jewish Unity, accused Adams of “trying to soften the image of an apartheid state” ahead of this weekend’s races.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We hope that things will not get out of hand, but it’s to be understood that there are very many people who are extremely upset,” Katz told the Globe and Mail.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n References to ‘Israel’ were\u00a0removed from Israel-Premier Tech’s\u00a0kit for the final eight stages of the Vuelta, following a series\u00a0pro-Palestine protests which have disrupted the Spanish grand tour on an almost daily basis.<\/p>\n However, like in Canada, the team name Israel-Premier Tech has continued to be used in Spain.<\/p>\n > Israel-Premier Tech to ride in kit without team name on for remainder of Vuelta a\u00a0Espa\u00f1a, blaming the “dangerous nature of some protests”<\/a><\/p>\n During the Vuelta, the leadership of the team has refused calls from Spanish politicians and others in the cycling world, worried about riders’ safety,\u00a0to withdraw from the Spanish grand tour,\u00a0claiming it would set a \u201cdangerous precedent\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Stage 18’s potentially r<\/a>ace-deciding time trial was cut short by 15km<\/a>\u00a0to leave just a 12.2km route. It was reported that up\u00a0to 300 uniformed and plain-clothed police officers\u00a0and 150 security guards\u00a0were\u00a0deployed during the stage, with two protesters arrested.<\/p>\n Before stage 17, a vote\u00a0involving members of each of the 23 participating teams decided\u00a0that racing would be stopped completely if protesters disrupted the event<\/a>, after the previous day’s finish line in Galicia was abruptly\u00a0moved due to chaotic scenes on the final climb.<\/p>\n![\"Pro-Palestine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/zw-106748.jpg\" "\\"Pro-Palestine")
Pro-Palestine protests lead to stage 16 of the 2025 Vuelta being shortened (credit: Zac Williams\/SWpix.com)<\/p>\n![\"Pro-Palestine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/zw-106699.jpg\" "\\"Pro-Palestine")
Pro-Palestine protests lead to stage 16 of the 2025 Vuelta being shortened (credit: undefined)<\/p>\n