Premier Tech has ended its co-title sponsorship of the Israel-Premier Tech (IPT) cycling team after near four years, the Canadian company announced on Friday, calling the continuation of the partnership “untenable.”
The move comes after a series of violent race disruptions by pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Europe since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel, culminating in the recent Vuelta a España grand tour cycling competition in Spain when activists stormed the route, directly threatening Israel–Premier Tech cyclists.
“After multiple discussions with the team and careful assessment of all relevant circumstances, Premier Tech has decided to step down as co-title sponsor of the team taking effect immediately,” the company’s press release states.
While acknowledging the team’s decision to remove “Israel” from its name and undertake a rebrand 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.”
The team initially removed “Israel” from its uniforms temporarily during the Spanish race to reduce risk—a change that has now become permanent.
The statement also thanked the team, including riders and staff for “the four unforgettable seasons by their side, and to acknowledge their incredible accomplishments and professionalism, both on and off the road.”
In addition to the planned rebrand, Israel–Premier Tech owner Sylvan Adams announced last month that he will step aside.
“As an Israeli whose heart and blood are blue and white, as an immigrant who made Israel my home, as a patriot and Zionist who proudly calls himself ‘Israel’s self-appointed ambassador,’ I cannot, at this moment, continue to take an active part in a team that no longer bears the name Israel. Therefore, I am stepping aside and suspending all active involvement with the team,” the Israeli-Canadian philanthropist said.
“I will instead devote myself even more deeply to my philanthropic activities in Israel and around the world. In my role as president of the World Jewish Congress in Israel, I will continue to fight to defend our right, as Jews, to live in peace, safety, and freedom from the wave of hatred, violence, and antisemitism that has surged since the tragic events of October 7,” he added.
Founded in 2014 as the Israel Cycling Academy, the country’s first professional cycling team, IPT gave young Israeli and international riders the opportunity to compete and progress on the global stage. Over the past decade, the team has achieved major victories, including stage wins in premier races such as the Tour de France, while proudly representing Israel around the world.
Israeli cyclists have played a key role in IPT’s success. Guy Sagiv became the first Israeli to race in a Grand Tour during the historic 2018 Giro d’Italia, which began in Jerusalem. Two years later, Guy Niv became the first Israeli to compete in the Tour de France.
Beyond its athletic achievements, IPT has promoted a social mission, using cycling as a tool for change. The team built the “Field of Dreams” cycling center in Rwanda and, in 2024, Adams invited two survivors of the Hamas massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri to the Tour de France opening in Florence. In 2025, freed hostage Ofer Kalderon joined the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris as Israel–Premier Tech’s special guest.
