Israel-Premier Tech has announced that its riders will wear a “monogram-branded kit” for the remainder of the Vuelta a España, featuring sponsor logos but without the team’s name. The team said it acted “in the interest of prioritising the safety of our riders and the entire peloton”, blaming “the dangerous nature of some protests at the Vuelta a España”, clarifying that it would not be changing its name to drop ‘Israel’ despite rumours in the Belgian press suggesting so on Friday.
The statement clarifies that the new kit will only be used for the remaining eight stages of the Vuelta, with no suggestion that the Israel branding will be dropped for other events the team appears at. Israel-Premier Tech also currently has teams at the Tour of Britain and the Maryland Cycling Classic, where riders are wearing the standard team kit. As has been the case since last year, the team’s buses and most of its off-bike merchandise no longer carry the team name due to similar previous incidents where the team was targeted by protesters.
The statement continues: “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.”
The presence of pro-Palestine protesters at this year’s Vuelta has arguably been greater than at any WorldTour race previously, with several stages disrupted since the race began, most notably stage 11 in Bilbao that was shortened by 3km due to barriers being pushed back by protesters near the finish line.
The reaction among cycling fans and the peloton alike has been bitterly divided at times, with reports on the ground suggesting that some riders and team staff were privately calling for Israel-Premier Tech to leave the race.
Accusing Visma-Lease a Bike rider Matteo Jorgenson of being one of the riders calling for the team to leave, Israel-Premier Tech sports director Daryl Impey remained unrepentant, telling FloBikes: “We weren’t talking about whether we’re leaving or not – we’re going to Madrid.
“Maybe people are talking about it, but as a team we’re committed to going all the way to Madrid. The guys are alright, they’re focusing on the bike race.”
Impey’s stance was echoed by Israel-Premier Tech’s billionaire owner Sylvan Adams yesterday, who claims to have rejected requests from organisers for the team to leave the race.
Adams labelled reports that the team would drop ‘Israel’ from its name as “fake news”, before Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu controversially weighed in last night, praising Adams and the team on social media “for not giving in to hate and intimidation.”
22 thoughts on “Israel-Premier Tech to ride in kit without team name on for remainder of Vuelta a España, blaming the “dangerous nature of some protests””
And the difference this will
And the difference this will make to anything is what the phrase “not one iota” was invented for. It makes the team look as if, despite their protestations, they are ashamed of who they are and/or kowtowing to protesters; the protesters will smell blood in the water and think well now we’ve forced one concession let’s redouble our protests and get more. The only possible effect this can have is a negative one as far as I can see.
The team have to be ashamed
The team have to be ashamed of who they are – surely? Who wants to be associated with genocide?
If they’re NOT ashamed (and
If they’re NOT ashamed (and ashamed of their involvement in “sport-washing” of a genocide), then … God help us.
Depends what you mean by
Depends what you mean by ‘team’. The owner and DS clearly are not. And it’s all fine Fuglsang and De Marchi making comments now, but they waited until that last paycheck cleared…
The reality is that it’s harder than ever to get a world tour contract these days, riders who might be politically naive have been happy enough to take the money until now.
I’m pretty sure that some
I’m pretty sure that some members of the team are feeling pretty demotivated, depending how politically (and reality) aware they are.
That doesn’t make for top achievements, you need a clear mind.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of the team wouldn’t jump teams if the offer was given.
Yep, it’s the protests that
Yep, it’s the protests that are the dangerous ones
Well done Spanish cycling
Well done Spanish cycling fans opposed to genocide. Keep it up, but please don’t endanger the cyclists – its obviously bad for the cyclists and is self defeating.
Gbjbanjs wrote:
Your suggestion to the protesters was to late for Javier Romo and Edward Planckaert.
Except Romo wasn’t endangered
Except Romo wasn’t endangered by any protesters. He’d cycled well past the incident and then crashed due to a lack of attention to the wheels around him.
mdavidford wrote:
So he would have fallen regardless?
Regardless of what? I’d he
Regardless of what? I’d he hadn’t allowed his attention to wander he wouldn’t have done.
mdavidford wrote:
Thanks, question answered.
mdavidford wrote:
and Planckaert?
What about Planckaert? As far
What about Planckaert? As far as I’m aware, he was want involved in that incident.
mdavidford wrote:
he was as far as I can ascertain.
Not seen him mentioned
Not seen him mentioned anywhere. He might be the rider that Romo slides into (who seems to have gone unnamed as far as I’ve seen) – as far as I can see that’s the only other rider to go down at that point. If so, then he was taken out by Romo – not the apparent protester.
mdavidford wrote:
From an article on road.cc “Both Simone Petilli and Javier Romo have crashed due to protestors, with Romo abandoning the race earlier today due to his injuries.” I was wrong about Planckaert. He fell while trying to avoid a protester but was able to get back on his bike and continue the stage.
Yep. Road.cc are wrong. That
Yep. Road.cc are wrong. That does happen on occasion…
Gbjbanjs wrote:
Agreed. If your plan is to bring certain riders down, plan properly and make sure you target and hit the correct ones.
Ha, the new jersey ‘monogram’
Ha, the new jersey ‘monogram’ is still a Star of David. And they haven’t changed their name. And they’re still wearing the other jerseys elsewhere this week.
This would make me want to protest HARDER…
ike2112 wrote:
It’s pretty ironic that in 1941 the Nazis started forcing Jews to wear the Star of David and now people are being criticised for wearing it. That’s not making a comment on the rights and wrongs of the current situation, just saying what a funny old world.
Just for your information, a monogram is a combination of letters making a symbol, which the Star of David isn’t.
I’m surprised that this team
I’m surprised that this team is owned by a Canadian. This will not stop the protesters. The riders can still be easily spotted and they team is still racing. Maybe time for a total name change I really don’t think the other sponsor are yo happy about this too