Premier Tech pursued by multiple WorldTour teams following Israel-Premier Tech exit

Canadian company Premier Tech intends to return as a top-tier cycling sponsor in 2026 or 2027 after ending its association with Israel-Premier Tech, with multiple WorldTour teams already making approaches.

According to a report from journalist Daniel Benson on his Substack, multiple sources have indicated that Premier Tech has no intention of exiting professional cycling permanently, instead seeking to partner with an existing squad as a secondary sponsor. 

Teams who reportedly have made contact include Alpecin-Deceuninck, Soudal Quick-Step, Picnic PostNL, EF Education-EasyPost, Ineos Grenadiers, and XDS Astana.

Despite rumours circulating that Alpecin-Deceuninck had already secured a deal with Premier Tech for 2026, both parties have refuted these claims. Another unconfirmed report suggests women's team St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93, which has three Canadian riders for 2026, could be Premier Tech's destination.

The Alpecin-Deceuninck connection would make strategic sense despite having no Canadian riders on their 2025 roster. The team has reportedly been pursuing additional sponsorship funds, and a Premier Tech deal would provide financial stability plus the opportunity to recruit Canadian talent for future seasons.

TotalEnergies came on board as a sub-sponsor of Ineos Grenadiers during the season, but there have been reports circulating that the British team is seeking more partners. The team has also been linked with a move for Derek Gee if the Canadian rider succeeds in terminating his contract with Israel-Premier Tech, though there is no timeline for the resolution of the case, which is before the UCI Arbitral Board.

Premier-Tech has served as the co-title sponsor of Israel-Premier Tech since 2022, and the year before in 2021, was the co-sponsor of the Astana-Premier Tech team.

Last Friday, the Canadian company released a statement confirming its decision to step down from co-title sponsorship of Israel-Premier Tech with immediate effect, despite the team’s decision to drop its Israeli identity from 2026, describing the situation as 'untenable.'

In the statement, Premier Tech highlighted its thirty-year involvement in cycling and its commitment to the sport, illustrating its intent to remain in the world of cycling. 

"Premier Tech's ambition in cycling has always been to build bridges across all levels of the sport, paving the way for athletes and staff to achieve their full potential. Supporting the growth of the sport, alongside the development of Québec and Canadian cyclists, is at the heart of this commitment - and will remain so in the future."

The team applied for the renewal of its WorldTour licence last month under the name ‘Cycling Academy’ rather than listing any sponsors, and it remains to be seen what sponsors they will have for 2026. Likewise, it remains to be seen if Premier-Tech will be involved with a team for the 2026 season or if it will happen further down the line.