"We won't continue unless the team name and flag change": IPT bike supplier threatens to jump the ship

Israel - Premier Tech was put in the spotlight at the recent Vuelta a Espana, but not for the good reasons such as a fifth place overall and a white jersey of Matthew Riccitello. Instead, the conflict in Middle East has been brought up by protestors with relation to the team's name. And the patience has run out for sponsors too, who placed an ultimatum on team owner Sylvan Adams.

"I've already told the team: Without a name change, without a flag change, we won't continue," Factor's founder Rob Gitelis founder explained to Cyclingnews.

Cyclingnews further reports that team owner Sylvan Adams was on board with changing the name of the team from Israel - Premier Tech, though he had assumed the flag of the team would stay Israeli. In addition, it appears that both the team name and flag change have been provisionally agreed, but that details of what both will become are yet to be finalised.

On the subject, the Israel - Premier Tech team told the British site that they are "currently in the planning phase for 2026 team branding, and will communicate any potential changes in due course."

UCI requires all WorldTour teams to submit their nationality for next season before October 15. If Israel - Premier Tech were indeed to change flags, Canada would be a logical choice, given that; team owner Sylvan Adams has Canadian citizenship and title co-sponsor Premier Tech is a company based in the North American country.

Gitelis went on to explain his reasoning, stating, "It's not a matter of right or wrong anymore. It's become too controversial around our brand, and my responsibility is to my employees and my shareholders, to give them maximum space with which to grow this company and make it profitable. Adding additional level of conflict or complexity, we just can't accept that any more. It's no longer a personal thing of I support this or I support that. There's just a certain level of controversy we just can't have surrounding the brand."

He later added that these terms are just the "absolute minimum requirements," and that there will be "other considerations" to be made too, although he didn't go into the details on what these would be.

The news comes only two months aftee both parties announced a "life-time" partnership during the Tour de France. However it turns to have been nothing more than a verbal promise. Since then, situation has changed and whether Factor continues to connect their name with Adams' project is up in the air.

"We don't have a signed contract for 2026 and beyond," Gitelis said ahead of a crucial meeting with Adams. "We did have a verbal commitment to continue, but things have escalated since then that we can no longer continue to meet that verbal commitment."

"I think everyone understands that coming off the Vuelta, it's become a lot more urgent and serious," Gitelis continued. "These things take time, registering teams, working with the UCI but I think action needs to start imminently. We're talking about a full rebranding of the team, if it's going to take place. That's a very significant undertaking, as well as moving rider contracts to another country."