Israel-Premier Tech steps back from Italian classics amid protest tension
Israel-Premier Tech has confirmed it will not line up at a series of one-day races in northern Italy, including Coppa Bernocchi, Tre Valli Varesine, and Gran Piemonte, citing “security concerns” as pro-Palestinian protests intensify across the country and Europe.
The Israel-Premier Tech team have pulled out of races in Italy as pressure from pro-Palestine protesters grows and threatens the security of the final races of the 2025 season. “In light of security concerns, Israel–Premier Tech will no longer be racing Coppa Bernocchi, Tre Valli Varesine or Gran Piemonte next week,” the team confirmed to Cyclingnews, as first reported on Thursday.
The team was already left off the start list for the Giro dell’Emilia on Saturday at the request of the organizers, who cited safety concerns. In a reaction to Cyclingnews, Israel-Premier Tech said it was “extremely regrettable that threats of violence have disrupted our sport” and added that it wished the organizers “a successful race.”
The protests flared again after Israeli authorities intercepted a flotilla carrying humanitarian supplies bound for Gaza, sparking demonstrations in Italy, Spain, and elsewhere. Italian trade unions and student groups have announced further nationwide actions, while cycling organizers fear escalating unrest.
Israel-Premier Tech has already been at the center of controversy this season. Protests during the Vuelta a España forced disruptions to multiple stages and the cancellation of the final stage and podium ceremony in Madrid.
For now, the team continues racing at the CRO Race in Croatia and is listed for upcoming starts at the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro and Binche-Chimay-Binche. But its participation in major WorldTour fixtures such as Il Lombardia, Paris-Tours, the Tour of Guangxi, and the Japan Cup remains uncertain.
Under UCI rules, Israel-Premier Tech remains entitled to start WorldTour races, but organisers of ProSeries and other events retain the right to exclude teams.
Looking ahead to 2026, the spotlight will increasingly fall on the UCI, which has so far hidden behind the International Olympic Committee’s stance of neutrality. UCI president David Lappartient recently told reporters that excluding Israel-Premier Tech would “breach Olympic values,” a position that drew accusations of hypocrisy given the body’s rapid suspension of the Russian Gazprom-RusVelo team in 2022. Race organizers in Spain and Italy, left to manage the unrest on the ground, have expressed frustration that the UCI refuses to take responsibility for the escalating conflict around the team’s presence in the peloton.
Team owner Sylvan Adams has so far avoided giving clear answers. Asked by Het Nieuwsblad about the sponsors’ demands, he limited himself to saying that “the team has issued a statement, which speaks for itself,” while privately admitting, “I don’t like being attacked.”
For the Italian autumn classics, the door is closed. The bigger question is what doors will remain open to Israel-Premier Tech as it seeks to redefine its place in the WorldTour in 2026.
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