ALBAWABA - The main sponsor of the Israel–Premier Tech cycling team has stopped working with the team, even though the team said it would be changing its name and branding completely for the 2026 season.
Israel–Premier Tech, which has an Israeli racing license and was started in 2024 by Ron Baron and Ran Margaliot, has had to deal with protests at international events because of its ties to Israel.
The team said last October that it would stop being known as Israeli after a big brand review that came after more than ten years in the professional circuit.
On Friday, however, Premier Tech, a Canadian company that makes things and grows plants, said it would stop sponsoring right away. The company said that the original reason for backing the team "has diminished to a point where continuing the partnership is no longer possible."
It thanked the riders, staff, and organization for "four memorable seasons" and praised their professionalism and accomplishments.
The team was left out of the Giro dell'Emilia race in September because of safety concerns. This happened after the Vuelta a España was disrupted by pro-Palestinian activists who were angry about the war in Gaza. The team took its full name off of riders' jerseys during the Spanish race.
Derek Gee, a Canadian cyclist who came in fourth in this year's Giro d'Italia, left the team just before the Vuelta, saying it was for "personal reasons." He later said that the team wanted €30 million ($34.99 million) in damages.
