'Riders have the right to do their job undisturbed' - Lefevere on Vuelta protests
In his weekly column for Het Nieuwsblad, Patrick Lefevere spoke about the protests at the Vuelta a España which he experienced firsthand, visiting the race during the week in Bilbao.
Former Soudal-Quickstep CEO Patrick Lefevere has spoken out about the pro-Palestinian protests during the 2025 edition of the Vuelta a España, which included Wednesday’s stage 11 in Bilbao, where the race was neutralised from the 3km mark.
“Everyone has the right to protest, but riders also have the right to do their job undisturbed,” said Lefevre, writing for Het Nieuwsblad, who attended the stage as a guest of Intermarché-Wanty.
Lefevere noted he witnessed the protests firsthand but couldn't reach the finish area due to the disruption. He believes that the location of the protests was no coincidence, citing the Basque region's historical sympathy toward similar independence movements.
"The Basques feel a connection to Gaza. Like the Palestinians, they're fighting for their own identity against the established authorities," Lefevere explained. "Activism is second nature there, as I've personally experienced a few times."
Recalling his own encounters with Basque nationalism, Lefevere shared an anecdote from the 1978 Vuelta a España: "When the peloton was stopped in a Basque village. The road was half-barricaded with wooden structures. We were only allowed through if the French and Spanish champions completely covered their national jerseys. Which they did."
Regarding calls for Israel-Premier Tech to withdraw from the race, Lefevere acknowledged the competing interests at stake and understood why the team remains in the field.
"If they drop out, the genie will be out of the bottle, and they won't have to race anywhere anymore. Ultimately, that would affect the income of 180 families," he said.
Lefevere, who once negotiated with Israel-Premier Tech's team owner, Sylvan Adams, about a potential QuickStep merger or sale, believes any name change to remove "Israel" from the team's identity is unlikely.
"He was born in Canada, but he is a fierce advocate for Israel," Lefevere said of Adams. "Other sponsors might consider continuing as 'Team Premier Tech' a good idea, but Sylvan Adams certainly wouldn't. If I'm to believe Radio Peloton, his will is still law within the team."
Before the start of stage 14 of the Vuelta, Israel-Premier Tech released a statement which said, "Israel-Premier Tech has issued riders with team monogram-branded kit for the remainder of the race. The team name remains Israel-Premier Tech, but the monogram kit now aligns with the branding decisions we have previously adopted for our vehicles and casual clothing."
