"The Vuelta’s image has suffered badly" – Jan Ullrich and Rick Zabel say Israel - Premier Tech’s continuation shows lack of backbone from race organisers

Jan Ullrich and Rick Zabel have delivered a scathing assessment of how the Vuelta a Espana has handled the escalating pro-Palestinian protests that have disrupted this year’s race, warning that the event’s image has already been seriously damaged.

Speaking on their Ulle & Rick podcast, the pair of former professionals criticised the decision-making of race officials, particularly in their approach to the embattled Israel – Premier Tech team. “The organisers are hardly covering themselves in glory,” Zabel said. “The fact is, the Vuelta’s image has already suffered badly.”

Ullrich was equally blunt: “There’s no real backbone. They let Israel - Premier Tech continue and put the decision back onto the team. Somebody has to take responsibility now.”

The 2025 Vuelta has been overshadowed by persistent protests against Israel – Premier Tech, with Palestinian flags, banners, and demonstrations becoming a regular sight on the roadside since the opening week. On multiple occasions, protesters have entered the course, leading to security incidents that have affected both the racing and rider safety.

The fallout has been significant. Several stages have been shortened, crashes have been linked to sudden disruptions, and the eleventh stage was neutralised entirely with no winner declared. Most recently, organisers were forced to alter the course of the time trial to mitigate further risks, a rare step in Grand Tour history.

The focal point of the unrest remains Israel – Premier Tech, the World Tour outfit backed by Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams. Vuelta race director Kiko García openly suggested after stage 11 that the team should consider withdrawing in the interests of safety, but the squad has refused, insisting that leaving under protest pressure would set a dangerous precedent.

Instead, the team have modified their jerseys to remove the word “Israel,” replacing it with a pared-back design featuring only a monogram and star. While the move was made to reduce the immediate flashpoints around their branding, Ullrich and Zabel believe the decision has only highlighted the lack of clarity from organisers.

Both Ullrich and Zabel were at pains to stress that the right to protest should be respected, but drew a sharp line when it interferes with the race itself. “Everyone should be able to demonstrate and express their opinion freely,” Zabel said. “But when it comes at the expense of the race and the riders’ safety, that’s when the two of us just shake our heads.”

The pair argued that by deferring responsibility to the team rather than taking a clear stance themselves, Vuelta organisers have created confusion and undermined the credibility of the event.

For Zabel, who himself spent several seasons riding for Israel – Premier Tech earlier in his career, the damage has already been done: “The fact is, the Vuelta’s image has already suffered badly,” he said.

Ullrich, Germany’s only Tour de France winner, echoed that sentiment, warning that the credibility of the race has been compromised by what he sees as indecision from those in charge.

With the Spanish government itself weighing in – Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has said he supports expelling the team – the tension shows no sign of easing. The Vuelta continues under heavy security, but the debate over where sport ends and politics begins has rarely been as stark.

Grand Tours have always been more than just sporting events: they are travelling theatres of culture, politics, and identity. The 2025 Vuelta a Espana has shown just how fragile that balance can be when global conflicts manifest themselves on the roadside.

For Ullrich and Zabel, the conclusion is clear. Unless organisers reassert control and provide clarity, the defining story of this Vuelta will not be Jonas Vingegaard’s watts, Remco Evenepoel’s resilience, or Juan Ayuso’s time trial splits, but rather the inability of race officials to prevent a political flashpoint from engulfing the race.