The Canary Islands has refused to host the finale of next year’s Vuelta a España if the team currently known as Israel-Premier Tech are invited, despite the team changing its name and nationality.
Spanish newspaper AS reported that “the position of the Gran Canaria Island Council has not changed” due to the continued ownership of the team by Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams.
IPT announced alongside its proposed rebrand that Adams would step down from the day-to-day running of the team in order to focus on his Presidency of the World Jewish Congress. The team has temporarily removed their website and social media presence before announcing their new brand.
Previously, the head of the Island Council Antonio Morales said “Gran Canaria is not willing to whitewash genocide and Israel’s actions through sport or any other means”.
He said: “We will see what happens in the coming months, but of course, with Israel’s participation, Gran Canaria will not host the Vuelta a España.”
Israel-Premier Tech’s Marco Frigo rides past spectator with Palestine flag, stage 7, 2025 Vuelta (cropped) (credit: SWpix.com/Zac Williams)
The speculation throws a spanner in the works for the Vuelta organisers Unipublic and its parent company ASO. The race, which will start with an individual time trial in Monaco was widely reported to finish on the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The Vuelta route presentation is due to take place on Wednesday 17th December.
Madrid is unlikely to host the final stage following last year’s protests which resulted in the final stage and formal podium ceremony being abandoned. The race finale also clashes with the Spanish Grand Prix.
As a World Tour team, IPT (under their new identity) are automatically invited and expected to participate. The currently unnamed team are also without a title sponsor after Canadian agri-tech company Premier Tech announced its withdrawal from the team, saying the situation “has become untenable for us to continue”. Premier-Tech subsequently announced it would become a partner of the Women’s World Tour squad St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93 team.
> “It has become untenable for us to continue”: Israel-Premier Tech’s title sponsor steps down
If the reporting is accurate, then the Island Council’s view aligns with that of Derek Gee-West, who is currently engaged in a legal battle with his former employer and has described the team’s rebranding as “cosmetic structural shifts”. Israel-Premier Tech are suing their rider for €30 million of damages.
Sylvan Adams at the 2023 UCI world cycling championships Gran Fondo, Perth (credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)
Before announcing he would step back, Adams was an active owner of the team and attended the Vuelta a España earlier this year when the team were the target of multiple protests. He was also a prominent supporter of Israel’s war in Gaza before a ceasefire was agreed. During the Vuelta he said he was proud of his team’s actions for “not surrendering to the terrorists”.