The Israel team ends up giving in and will completely change its identity

The Israel Premier Tech (IPT) cycling team has announced a radical change in its structure, name, and identity for the 2026 season. The decision comes after several months marked by protests and boycotts that culminated in their exclusion from the Giro dell'Emilia and tensions during the past Vuelta a España, where pro-Palestinian demonstrations forced the team to neutralize stage sections and change their kit to remove the word "Israel."

Israel Premier Tech breaks with its Israeli identity and will completely restructure for 2026

In an official statement, the team has explained that this step is "essential to ensure the future of the team," confirming that they will abandon their current Israeli identity and that the new name and country of registration will be announced soon. "In sports, progress often requires sacrifices, and this step is necessary to ensure the continuity of the project," the statement points out.

The announcement also includes a step back by Sylvan Adams, owner, patron, and self-proclaimed "global ambassador of Israel", from the daily management of the team. Adams, 66 years old and a personal friend of current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will remain linked to the structure as a partner but will no longer be its spokesperson to focus on his role as president of the World Jewish Congress in Israel. "The team is proud of what has been achieved, but recent times have shown the need for a profound change," the note states.

The team was born eleven years ago under the name Cycling Academy, with the intention of providing opportunities to young cyclists from countries without a tradition in this sport. In 2017, it became Israel Cycling Academy, in 2020 Israel Start-Up Nation, and since 2022 it has operated as Israel Premier Tech.

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During this time, the team has experienced great sporting successes, such as stage wins in the Tour de France and a stable place in the WorldTour, but also difficult moments, including a season of relegation and subsequent return to the top category.

The trigger for this transformation was the growing public rejection of the team's image in recent months, amid the escalation of the conflict in Gaza. During the 2025 Vuelta a España, several stages were affected by protests and banners against the presence of the Israeli team, and shortly after, the organizers of the Giro dell'Emilia decided to withdraw them from the start list for security reasons.

The consequences were immediate: both Factor, their bike supplier, and Premier Tech, their main sponsor, warned that they would not continue to be associated with the team as long as the controversy persisted.

The statement was made public just a few days before the UCI registration deadline (October 10), in which teams must officially register their name and license for the upcoming season. Although the new name has not been revealed yet, it is expected that the successor to Israel Premier Tech will maintain its WorldTour status, given its good sporting performance and current ranking within the top 18 teams in the world.

With this decision, Israel Premier Tech closes a chapter and opens another in which it aspires to maintain its international and educational vocation, but without an explicit national identity.