The Israel‑Premier Tech cycling team on Monday announced a series of dramatic measures to “protect the safety of its riders,” including removing “Israel” from the team name — an unusual step intended to allow the team to continue operating amid a wave of pro‑Palestinian protests across Europe, some of which turned violent.
The move also prompted founder and owner Sylvan Adams to step back from its active management.
Since its founding in 2014 as Cycling Academy, the team has become a symbol of Israeli innovation in cycling and a home for both local and international riders, with achievements including entry into the Tour de France and wins in major races.
In recent months, the team has faced mounting security threats during races in Europe, where activists have breached course barriers and protests have disrupted events.
In Italy, the team was excluded from the Giro dell’Emilia, while in Barcelona, city officials urged its expulsion from the Tour de France.
During Spain’s Vuelta, large anti‑Israel protests led to stage cancellations and interference, further intensifying pressure on the team.
After extended internal discussions, management decided to adopt a new branding to allow competition at top levels without exposing riders to undue risk. It affirmed that Israeli athletes will remain central to the team’s core identity.
Adams, the primary backer and public face of the team, said he would suspend his active involvement. “This is a very painful moment in my life. As an Israeli whose heart and blood are blue and white, as an immigrant who made Israel my home, as a patriot and Zionist who proudly calls himself ‘Israel’s self-appointed ambassador,’ I cannot, at this moment, continue to take an active part in a team that no longer bears the name Israel,” he said.
“Therefore, I am stepping aside and suspending all active involvement with the team. I will cease to represent it or speak on its behalf. I will instead devote myself even more deeply to my philanthropic activities in Israel and around the world. In my role as President of the World Jewish Congress in Israel, I will continue to fight to defend our right, as Jews, to live in peace, safety, and freedom from the wave of hatred, violence, and antisemitism that has surged since the tragic events of October 7."