Israel Premier Tech removes team name from uniforms at Spanish Vuelta amid more protests

Israel Premier Tech, which only has one Israeli rider at the Vuelta, has said dropping out of the race would “set a dangerous precedent.”

By The Associated Press

Israel Premier Tech gave its cyclists at the Spanish Vuelta new uniforms without the team name on Saturday after they have been repeatedly targeted by anti-Israel protests during the race.

The decision was made before the 14th stage amid a difficult week for the team. It has faced protests before and during the race days, as well as pressure from both race officials and Spanish authorities.

The team said the decision was “in the interest of prioritizing the safety of our riders and the entire peloton, in light of the dangerous nature of some protests at Vuelta.”

But the move did not stop a few hundred people from holding another loud protest, this time in Aviles, the city that hosted the stage start. Police were involved in some shoving with a few protestors.

The crowd packed either side of the streets and shouted at the cyclists and team cars of every team as they passed by. Many waved Palestinian flags.

They held signs saying “Sport with human rights” and shouted slogans like “It’s not a war, it’s genocide.”

New uniforms to keep lower profile

Israel Premier Tech’s blue uniforms, which will be used for the final week of the race, now only have a large P and a star. The “monogram kit now aligns with the branding decisions we have previously adopted for our vehicles and casual clothing,” it said.

The protests kicked off on Wednesday in Bilbao, when a large crowd’s presence near the finish line forced race organizers to cut short Wednesday’s arrival.

On Friday, Spanish police detained 12 people who invaded the course with an anti-Israel banner and impeded the lead riders until police removed them.

Israel Premier Tech, which only has one Israeli rider at the Vuelta, has said dropping out of the race would “set a dangerous precedent.”

American Matthew Riccitello is the best-positioned rider of the team. He was seventh overall at nearly five minutes behind race leader Jonas Vingegaard.

International implications

The Vuelta condemned the Bilbao protest, but its technical director Kiko Garcia urged Israel Premier Tech to drop out or for the UCI, cycling’s governing body, to intervene, because there was a risk of more protests if it kept racing.

UCI has also condemned the protest in Bilbao.

On Thursday, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said he would “understand and be in favor” of the team being removed from the race, while adding his government doesn’t have the power to do so.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support of the team, which is owned by Israeli-Canadian businessman Sylvan Adams, saying it made “Israel proud.”