O Gran Camiño first to bar Israel-Premier Tech in wake of Vuelta protests

“This is not the time to think about the sporting aspect, but rather to reflect first and foremost on the current situation,” Mosquera told the Spanish news agency EFE and elDiario.es. “We want to continue to protect what we have; we are proud of what we have built in just four years.”

Israel-Premier Tech won the Galician race earlier this year with Derek Gee, who is now locked in a dispute with the team over the termination of his contract. The absence of the team next February underscores the tension surrounding the squad’s presence in Spain, following the wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations that shook the Vuelta in recent weeks and culminated in the cancellation of the final stage in Madrid.

“Right now any organisation where they competed this year will be asking themselves the same questions we are,” Mosquera said. “It is not an easy situation for anyone. What happened during the Vuelta was a situation of maximum tension for riders, directors and the organisation. Circumstances like that are very difficult to manage.”

Mosquera pointed out that O Gran Camiño is meant to serve both as a showcase for Galicia’s heritage and as a sporting event. In that context, he presented the move not to invite Israel-Premier Tech as part of the effort to protect that dual identity, handled with “rigour” and “objectivity.”

The debate was already raging in Spain before Galicia weighed in. Antonio Morales, president of the Gran Canaria council, warned that the island would not host stages of the 2026 Vuelta if Israel-Premier Tech were involved. “I have to say with absolute conviction that if Israel is participating, then no. Gran Canaria is not willing to whitewash genocide and Israel’s actions through sport or any other means,” Morales said, according to AS.

Barcelona, due to host the 2026 Grand Départ of the Tour de France, has also voiced concerns. David Escudé, the city’s councillor for sport, told AS: “We want teams that compete under the Israeli flag, just as was done with Russia, to cease competition with this flag."

Unlike the Vuelta or the Tour, O Gran Camiño is not part of the WorldTour and therefore under no obligation to include Israel-Premier Tech in its line-up. Local politics also played a part, with authorities in La Coruña and Lugo, two of the race’s main financial backers, telling elDiario.es they would withdraw support if the Israeli team were invited.

In the meantime, Israel-Premier Tech finds itself increasingly isolated, with Galicia’s decision adding to the pressure already building in Madrid, Barcelona and beyond.