Riders of the Israel Premier Tech team compete as people holding Palestinian flags try to disrupt the eleventh stage of the Spanish Vuelta cycling race, from Bilbao to Bilbao, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Pier-Andre Cote from the Israel Premier Tech team rides during the eleventh stage of the Spanish Vuelta cycling race, from Bilbao to Bilbao, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
People holding Palestinian flags sit on the street after disrupting the eleventh stage of the Spanish Vuelta cycling race, from Bilbao to Bilbao, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Israel Premier Tech removes team name from uniforms at Spanish Vuelta amid more protests
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) 鈥 Israel Premier Tech gave its cyclists at the Spanish Vuelta new uniforms without the team name on Saturday after they have been repeatedly targeted by pro-Palestinian protests during the race.
Riders of the Israel Premier Tech team compete as people holding Palestinian flags try to disrupt the eleventh stage of the Spanish Vuelta cycling race, from Bilbao to Bilbao, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) 鈥 Israel Premier Tech gave its cyclists at the Spanish Vuelta new uniforms without the team name on Saturday after they have been repeatedly targeted by pro-Palestinian protests during the race.
The decision was made before the 14th stage amid a difficult week for the team. It has faced protests before and during the race days, as well as pressure from both race officials and Spanish authorities.
The team said the decision was 鈥渋n the interest of prioritizing the safety of our riders and the entire peloton, in light of the dangerous nature of some protests at Vuelta.鈥
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But the move did not stop a few hundred people from holding another loud protest, this time in Aviles, the city that hosted the stage start. Police were involved in some shoving with a few protestors.
The crowd packed either side of the streets and shouted at the cyclists and team cars of every team as they passed by. Many waved Palestinian flags. They held signs saying 鈥淪port with human rights鈥 and shouted slogans like 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a war, it鈥檚 genocide.”
New uniforms to keep lower profile
Israel Premier Tech’s blue uniforms, which will be used for the final week of the race, now only have a large P and a star. The 鈥渕onogram kit now aligns with the branding decisions we have previously adopted for our vehicles and casual clothing,” it said.
The protests kicked off on Wednesday in Bilbao, when a large crowd’s presence near the finish line forced race organizers to cut short Wednesday鈥檚 arrival.
On Friday, Spanish police detained 12 people who invaded the course with a pro-Palestinian banner and impeded the lead riders until police removed them.
Spaniards are largely sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Spain鈥檚 government is also highly critical of Israel鈥檚 that has killed tens of thousands of civilians in retaliation for the Hamas attacks in October 2023.
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Israel Premier Tech, which only has one Israeli rider at the Vuelta, has said dropping out of the race would 鈥渟et a dangerous precedent.鈥
American Matthew Riccitello is the best-positioned rider of the team. He was seventh overall at nearly five minutes behind race leader Jonas Vingegaard.
International implications
The Vuelta condemned the Bilbao protest, but its technical director Kiko Garcia urged Israel Premier Tech to drop out or for the UCI, cycling鈥檚 governing body, to intervene, because there was a risk of more protests if it kept racing. UCI has also condemned the protest in Bilbao.
On Thursday, Spain鈥檚 Foreign Minister Jos茅 Manuel Albares said of the team being removed from the race, while adding his government doesn鈥檛 have the power to do so.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support of the team, which is owned by Israeli-Canadian businessman Sylvan Adams, saying it made 鈥淚srael proud.鈥
