It doesn’t come as a surprise, but it comes as a confirmation. Chris Froome will not race for Israel – Premier Tech (which will be renamed) in 2026. The team has confirmed it this Friday afternoon in a post on Instagram where they have said goodbye to their departing riders after a season that had success but also a lot of difficulties. “The 2026 season is around the corner and a new chapter awaits! With preparations for the upcoming season in full swing, we’ll be going offline for a short while from tomorrow, Saturday 15 November, before we return to reveal the team’s new name and identity, the post said. According to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport’s Ciro Scognamiglio, the team is likely to take on a Swiss license, which should mean the entry of a Swiss title sponsor too. Despite the lack of a full guarantee at this point in time, there seems to be safety for the riders – in a winter that sees several teams disappear or merge together.
“Stay tuned! Before we sign off, we want to take the chance to thank our departing staff for all of their hard work and, of course, the departing riders,” the team added, naming out one rider who has confirmed retirement (Michael Woods), three who have signed contracts with different teams and… Chris Froome.
“Pascal Ackermann, Chris Froome, Riley Pickrell, Matthew Riccitello, Michael Schwarzmann, and Mike Woods. Thanks for the memories over the last years, we look forward to seeing you in the peloton next year or wherever the next chapter takes you!” This now means that Froome is officially without a contract for the upcoming season, and chances this is how it will remain. At 40 years of age and without any meaningful performance since the 2022 season, the four-time Tour de France winner is not likely to find a new contract in the sport.
Froome has signed a five-year contract with Israel – Premier Tech, but over the last few seasons he has not raced often, and his last Grand Tour was the 2022 Vuelta a España. The situation was difficult, but a brutal set of injuries suffered only a few months ago ended his season and have added yet another obstacle for the Briton. His last and likely final race was the 2025 Tour de Pologne.
Chris Froome at the 2025 Tour de Suisse. @Sirotti