The Israel Premier-Tech team will no longer display the name Israel next season, "abandoning its Israeli identity," as confirmed in a statement on Monday. Similarly, the team's owner, Sylvan Adams, a friend of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will "take a step back in his daily involvement and will no longer speak on behalf" of the team.
"In sports, progress often requires sacrifice, and this step is essential to ensure the team's future," the text adds, where the team is proud of its "achievements on the road."
This decision comes weeks after the controversy during the Vuelta a España, where numerous incidents occurred due to pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Several stages had to be shortened in their final kilometers, and the last stage in Madrid had to be canceled due to the danger posed by demonstrations against the "Zionist genocide" in Gaza.
Since then, several sponsors of the team, such as the bicycle brand Factor and the main sponsor Premier Tech, expressed their desire to remove the word "Israel." "Without a name or flag change, we will not move forward," warned Rob Gitelis, founder of Factor. "The current situation is no longer sustainable to achieve our goal," Premier Tech revealed.
Just a few days ago, the Giro de Emilia also banned the participation of Israel Premier-Tech for "public safety reasons." Following this ban, the team led on the road by Steve Bauer issued another statement considering it "extremely regrettable" that "threats of violence have disrupted cycling."
In Monday's statement, the team attributed its "culture" to overcoming the aforementioned protests, while also acknowledging the need for change. During this final stretch of the season, they had already competed without a name in some races, such as the GP de Quebec and the GP de Montreal. Until the end of the season, they will avoid explicit reference to Israel and compete under the initials IPT. The jersey will only feature a Star of David, accompanied by the letter P.
"The numbers speak for themselves"
Currently, no new name or brand has been announced, but a commitment to talent development has been made, which has been part of their identity since their foundation in 2014, under the guidance of Ron Baron and Ran Margaliot. "Although a new chapter awaits us, which will be revealed soon, the team will remain true to its founding promise: to develop cycling talent from around the world."
Adams, on the other hand, will also step away from the spotlight, leaving his role as a spokesperson and focusing on his duties as the President of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), one of the largest Jewish organizations in the world. Two weeks ago, following the UN's decision to use the term "genocide" for Israel's actions in Gaza, the Hebrew magnate made his position clear. "In 1948, when the State of Israel was founded, there were 60,000 Arabs in Gaza. Today there are 1.8 million. The Jewish population has not yet returned to its 1938 levels. The numbers speak for themselves," he explained to the Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad.
In strictly sporting terms, throughout 2025, the Israeli team achieved two prestigious victories, thanks to Ethan Vernon in the second stage of the Volta a Catalunya and Jake Stewart in the fifth stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné. Additionally, Matthew Riccitello shone during the final week of the Vuelta, and Derek Gee finished fourth in the general classification of the Giro d'Italia. It is worth noting that among their roster of 32 professionals are three Israelis (Itamar Einhorn, Oded Kogut, and Nadav Raisberg), and in their technical staff, two Spaniards (Óscar Guerrero and Rubén Plaza).
After three years as a UCI Pro Team, the primary goal is to return to the World Tour in 2026, the highest category of international cycling. This access should be confirmed with a place among the top 18 in the UCI during the last three-year cycle.