'Not sustainable' - Israeli team's sponsor wants name change

One of cycling's top teams has been urged by a title sponsor to change its name after riders were targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters during the Vuelta a Espana.

The Israel-Premier Tech team were at the centre of several disruptions during this month's Grand Tour in Spain, as protests were staged over Israel's war in Gaza.

Sponsor Premier Tech wants 'Israel' to be dropped from the team's name, saying that the "current situation is no longer sustainable".

The Canadian company could end its association from next season, and British-based bike manufacturer Factor has aired similar concerns.

"Without a name change, without a flag change, we won't continue," Factor's founder Rob Gitelis told Cycling News.

Premier Tech told Radio Canada: "We are sensitive and attentive to the situation on the international scene, which has evolved considerably since our arrival on the World Tour in 2017.

"However, the current situation regarding the team name is no longer sustainable to achieve our goal, which is the very reason for our involvement in cycling."

The Israel-Premier Tech squad, which has five British riders who include four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, is Israeli-registered and owned by Israeli-Canadian property billionaire Sylvan Adams.

The team said they are "currently in the planning phase for 2026 team branding and will communicate any potential changes in due course".

Adams, 66, is closely associated with Benjamin Netanyahu's government and has previously told BBC Sport he is a "self-appointed ambassador to Israel".

Adams was invited to the White House with US President Donald Trump during the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel and other Emirati states, such as the UAE, in 2020.

The team dropped the 'Israel' name from their jerseys during the Vuelta.

Pro-Palestinian protests resulted in the interruption of the team's time trial on stage five, when four riders were forced to stop to avoid hitting protesters who were unfurling a banner.

One of the team's best riders, Canada's Derek Gee, cancelled his deal with the team just days before competing at the Vuelta, leading the team to seek legal advice and support from cycling's world governing body the UCI over the contract agreement.

Gee, who had earlier been in negotiations to extend his contract, said in a statement that "certain issues simply made my continuation at the team untenable", without explaining what those matters were or linking his decision to the Gaza situation.

Britain's Tom Pidcock, who finished third at the Vuelta, said he worried about riders being targeted.

He said: "They're not riding to support Israel, they're riding because they got an opportunity to race bikes around the world."

The team are part of cycling's second ProTeam tier after being relegated from the World Tour in 2022, but they have big-money backers and are expected to return to the World Tour in 2026.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 65,419 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.