Premier Tech pulls plug on sponsorship amid Israel – Premier Tech turmoil: “Our purpose has been overshadowed”
Cycling
The crisis engulfing the team formerly known as Israel – Premier Tech has reached a breaking point. Canadian company Premier Tech has terminated its co-title sponsorship with immediate effect, citing that the project’s “core reason” for involvement had been “overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable”.
The decision lands as the team reels from months of political turmoil, race exclusions, and mounting sponsor unease following a season in which protests repeatedly targeted its association with the Israeli state.
“It has become untenable for us to continue”
In its official statement, Premier Tech confirmed it would step down from the partnership it has held since 2022, effective immediately.
“After multiple discussions with the team and careful assessment of all relevant circumstances, Premier Tech has decided to step down as co-title sponsor of the team taking effect immediately.
Although we took notice of the team’s decision to change its name for the 2026 season, the core reason for Premier Tech to sponsor the team has been overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable for us to continue as a sponsor.
First and foremost, we want to thank the team — riders and staff — for the four unforgettable seasons by their side, and to acknowledge their incredible accomplishments and professionalism, both on and off the road.
We have been involved in cycling for 30 years, but above all, we are passionate about our industries, our markets, our clients, and our team members since 1923. They are at the very heart of our purpose and why Premier Tech exists. We want each of these stakeholders to feel enthusiastic and proud to be associated with Premier Tech, its brands, its products, and its services.
Premier Tech’s ambition in cycling has always been to build bridges across all levels of the sport, paving the way for athletes and staff to achieve their full potential. Supporting the growth of the sport, alongside the development of Québec and Canadian cyclists, is at the heart of this commitment — and will remain so in the future.”
The tone of gratitude was unmistakable, yet the message was clear: the political baggage surrounding the project had overwhelmed its original purpose as a development platform for Canadian talent.
From protests to implosion
Premier Tech’s exit comes just a few short months after the team’s most turbulent period yet. At the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, large-scale demonstrations against the squad’s presence escalated into scenes that forced the final stage in Madrid to be abandoned, with protest organisers accusing the team of “sportswashing” amid ongoing conflict in Gaza. Organisers and the UCI came under intense scrutiny for allowing the outfit to start the race at all.
Since then, the team has faced:
- Boycott discussions among rival squads and race organisers, citing safety and reputational concerns.
- Exclusion from the Giro dell’Emilia on security grounds.
- Sponsor ultimatums, most notably from Factor Bikes, demanding that the Israeli flag and name be removed before 2026.
- The €30 million legal battle with Canadian rider Derek Gee, who walked away from his contract over personal beliefs.
Amid the escalating controversy, co-owner Sylvan Adams announced that he would step back from day-to-day leadership and the team would rebrand for 2026 in an attempt to “depoliticise” its image. That strategy, however, now appears insufficient to reassure backers.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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captmike08-11-20259
Sad, caved to terrorists
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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