Premier Tech will sponsor the St Michel \u2013 Preference Home \u2013 Auber93 men\u2019s and women\u2019s cycling teams for the next two seasons.<\/p>\n
The Canadian multi-national company revealed its new sponsorship deal yesterday, only 10 days after it announced the end of its partnership with Israel\u2013Premier Tech.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As part of the sponsorship deal, Premier Tech says it will \u201cnotably support\u201d the women\u2019s ProTeam programme.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Three Canadian cyclists will join the women\u2019s team for the 2026 season: Alison Jackson and Clara \u00c9mond will move from EF Education-Oatly, while Simone Boilard makes the switch from Uno-X Mobility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPartnering with Premier Tech marks a milestone for our team. We share a common vision: an inclusive, integrated cycling ecosystem driven by talent diversity. We are pleased to welcome Premier Tech and pursue this shared ambition,\u201d says Charlie Nerzic, deputy general manager of the team.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jean B\u00e9langer, president and chief executive of Premier Tech, says: \u201cThis opportunity fully aligns with the reason why Premier Tech has been committed to cycling for over 30 years \u2013 building bridges across all levels of the sport and supporting the development of Qu\u00e9bec and Canadian cyclists.\u201d<\/p>\n
Premier Tech sponsored Israel\u2013Premier Tech from 2022, but it said in September that the team must change its name and state affiliation in order for its support to continue. Although Israel\u2013Premier Tech said it would change its name, Premier Tech stepped down from sponsoring the team earlier this month.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cAlthough we took notice of the team\u2019s decision to change its name for the 2026 season, the core reason for Premier Tech to sponsor the team has been overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable for us to continue as a sponsor,\u201d Premier Tech said at the time<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Israel\u2013Premier Tech was the target of protests throughout the 2025 cycling season, with demonstrators at the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a labelling the team\u2019s participation as \u201csportswashing<\/a>\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Several former riders also expressed relief this year at no longer riding for Israel Premier\u2013Tech, in light of Israel\u2019s war on Gaza. Derek Gee terminated his contract, citing \u201cserious concerns related to racing for the team<\/a>\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n The founder of Factor Bikes, Rob Gitelis, said Factor would end its sponsorship<\/a> of Israel\u2013Premier Tech if the team did not change its name.\u00a0<\/p>\n