"Leaving everything in good hands" - NSN DS explains why Sylvan Adams was present at team camp back in November
Cycling
Israel - Premier Tech is a team that was pressured into complete rebranding this winter. The team's association with the country, and its controversial manager Sylvan Adams, proved to be too much as sponsors pulled out and race organizers asked the team to stay away from their roads in late 2025. In 2026, the newly-named NSN Cycling Team will be on the road with a Swiss license and Spanish headquarters, and one of its sports directors explained why Adams was present at the team's first camp back in late November.
Oscar Guerrero is no stranger to the spotlight, as he led the team through its roller-coaster journey at the Vuelta a España, an edition where several stages were either cancelled or cut, as many protested the team's presence in the race ever since it entered Spanish roads.
At the time of reporting, over 70.000 civilians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, many of those children. Although a ceasefire agreement was reached in recent months, Israel has not stopped the bombing of the Palestinian city. At the time of the Vuelta, the team's riders and staff were also insulted, assaulted and more. Other riders in the peloton also suffered the consequences of the protests.
Guerrero looks to put that behind, and hopes that the exclusion of Israel as a sponsor has ended the push against the squad. "It's a new team, although the structure is very similar and we've made some adjustments. We have to look forward. It is a new stage, with new illusions, and there is no point in looking back," Guerrero said in words to Marca.
Sylvan Adams, the team's leading figure since its early years, was still present in the team's first gathering in November 2025, raising questions about his role in the team. Guerrero did not evade the question, and explained why this happened: "It was a way of saying goodbye, of transmitting peace of mind and of making the transfer to the new members, leaving everything in good hands".
NSN looks towards new future with new goals
The team naturally suffered when it came to its ability to sign new riders. The issues with the Israeli sponsorship, and afterwards the lack of clarity over its future for many weeks, meant that it wasn't possible to present a fully clear offer for new riders. The team reportedly reached an agreement with Biniam Girmay during the Israel - Premier Tech days, and he is the man that the team hopes to build on throughout the coming years.
"Back then we had two men for the general classification in Grand Tours, such as Derek Gee and [Matthew] Riccitello". Riccitello has left for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale after his breakthrough Vuelta where he finished fifth in the overall classification and won the youth classification; whilst Derek Gee ended his contract with the team, with legal action still ongoing at the moment due to that decision.
With no real GC riders, the team now changes its priority to winning races, above overall classifications. "And now we have changed the approach, signing Girmay, a key rider for classics and for stages of the Tour de France, as he showed two years ago".
With no other major signing, Girmay, Ethan Vernon and Corbin Strong are amongst the leaders that will be leading the squad in its return year to the World Tour. "The mentality is clear: win races and win stages rather than thinking about general classifications."
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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