Team Israel, from spoiled to outcasts in the peloton

In the 2023 Tour de France, Israel- Premier Tech modified its jersey to show off its performance in the most important race. Not as it's doing now, removing the name of the Hebrew nation in search of safety , but quite the opposite. Back then, they wanted to highlight the delights of their homeland. The jersey featured the national trail, a 1,000-kilometer route linking the Kibbutz of Dan with the port of Eilat. The three stripes represented the snowy peaks of Mount Hermon (white), the coastal beaches (blue), and the southern desert (orange).

"I believe each of the cyclists will be ambassadors for the country," said Sylvan Adams, the team's licensee—private, yes, but with obvious government ties. "I appreciate the trust and support of the Ministries of Tourism, Culture, and Sports," he added.

Private team but with government ties Sylvan Adams, its billionaire owner, is a personal friend of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Those were different times, and Adams, a Canadian billionaire and personal friend of Benjamin Netanyahu , did not hide his intention to whitewash the image of Israel, the country in which he lives, through sport.

The team joined the peloton in 2015 under the name Israel Academy as a member of the third division. It had 14 riders, six of them Israeli. Just three years later, they were already competing in their first Grand Tour, the Giro d'Italia, thanks to an invitation. That edition of the Corsa Rosa started in Jerusalem , and the organizers were kind enough to reserve a spot for the locals.

Do you know who paid part of the fee to bring the first three stages to Israel? Yes, Sylvan Adams. And he himself was responsible for purchasing the Katusha license when the Russian team folded. By 2020, Israel was already among the elite and making its debut in the Tour and Vuelta. A year later, the Galacticos signed Chris Froome, four-time winner of the yellow jersey in Paris.

Uncertainty due to tension "At the Vuelta, their cyclists were asking if we had a free spot for them," they revealed in the peloton.

This season, Israel-Premier Tech was not one of the 18 World Tour teams guaranteed a spot on the best calendar. However, Article 2.1.007 bis of the UCI regulations coined the curious term "mandatory invitations," requiring the organizers of the three Grand Tours to host the two best UCI ProTeams in the previous year's rankings. In 2024 and 2025, these were the Belgian Lotto and Israel.

In other words, their participation was protected, and that's why the Vuelta was tied hand and foot despite all the pro-Palestinian protests and tension. "The Israeli riders just wanted it to be over. Some riders even asked us if we had a spot on the team for them next year," revealed Soudal's Belgian Louis Vervaeke.

The pretty boys have become seen as outcasts. And such animosity has quickly taken its toll. Matthew Riccitello, fifth in the Vuelta, has already announced his departure. He's not alone. Froome, Woods, Ackermann, George Bennett, Schultz, Hofstetter, and Boivin have also left.

Fourth in the 25th Giro and ninth in the 24th Tour "There are important points that make my permanence in the team unsustainable," Gee argued.

Meanwhile, Canadian Derek Gee, fourth in the 2025 Giro and ninth in the 2024 Tour, broke his contract in August with three years remaining. "There are certain important points that make my stay on the team untenable," Gee argued, without mentioning the genocide in Gaza.

Yes, Dane Jakob Fuglsang, who retired this summer after four years of racing with the team, did put it into words. "It was definitely more enjoyable to ride without the Israeli logo than with it," he admitted.

If there is no sanction before They will be in Barcelona on July 6 for the Grand Départ of the Tour, as well as the Volta, the Itzulia and the San Sebastián Classic.

But looking ahead to 2026 the problem could increase as Israel has earned a promotion to the WorldTour with the points obtained in the last three years (2023-25) which, if there is no sanction involved , opens the doors for them to be in Barcelona on July 6 for the Grand Départ of the Tour, as well as in the Itzulia or the Clásica de San Sebastián, two events in which they were not present this year.

We'll see which riders they'll use. Although they're pursuing Eritrean Biniam Girmay, only two new signings have officially arrived: Lewis Askey and Brady Gilmore, 24-year-old unknowns.