Israel-Premier Tech are “committed to racing on” at the Vuelta a España, despite pressure growing on the team to leave the race, as protests threaten to engulf the event.
On Wednesday, stage 11 was shortened and no win awarded after disruption at the finish line from pro-Palestine groups, but this was not an isolated incident. The day before, a rider crashed after protestors ran onto the road, with police unable to hold them back, while on stage five a group blocked Israel-Premier Tech’s team time trial. It’s not just the Vuelta, either, with disruptive actions at both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France this year.
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, was the first senior European leader to accuse Israel of genocide over its actions in Gaza. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s invasion of Gaza in response to the October 7 terrorist attacks, in which more than 1,200 people died. At least least 21,000 children in Gaza have been disabled since Israel’s forces invaded, a United Nations committee said this week, where a famine is occurring, also according to the UN.
The Vuelta’s technical director, Kiko García, said on Wednesday that he hoped “rapid changes” would occur after the race’s latest disruption.
“We know that if there are no reactions or there are no changes in any way, then the protests will continue,” he explained. “As we’ve said, we have no choice but to follow the rules. The team’s participation is obligatory, and whoever can decide the opposite – that isn’t us.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
However, Israel-Premier Tech have been clear that they will stay in the race, saying that their departure would set a “dangerous precedent”.
“Israel-Premier Tech is a professional cycling team. As such, the team remains committed to racing on at the Vuelta a España,” a team spokesperson said. “Any other course of action sets a dangerous precedent in the sport of cycling not only for Israel-Premier Tech, but for all teams. Israel-Premier Tech has repeatedly expressed its respect for everyones’ right to protest, as long as those protests remain peaceful and do not compromise the safety of the peloton.
“The Vuelta a España race organisation and police are doing everything in their power to create a safe environment and, for that, the team is especially grateful. However, the behaviour of protestors in Bilbao today was not only dangerous, but counterproductive to their cause and deprived the Basque cycling fans, some of the best cycling fans in the world, of the stage finish they deserved.
“We thank the race organisers and UCI for their continued support and cooperation, as well as the teams and riders that have expressed their support both publicly and privately and, of course, our fans.”
The squad at the Vuelta, now seven strong, includes six nationalities: two British riders, Jake Stewart and Ethan Vernon, who is second in the points competition; one American, Matthew Riccitello, who is 10th overall and second in the young rider category; a Canadian, Pier-André Côté; an Italian, Marco Frigo; a Czech rider, Jan Hirt; and Nadav Raisberg, an Israeli.
Israel-Premier Tech are at the Vuelta, despite being a ProTeam, because they qualified through UCI points for all WorldTour events this season. As things stand, they also are in line to be promoted to the WorldTour next season.
The team has had extra security throughout races this season, which includes at this Vuelta. On Wednesday, the team bus was protected by Basque riot police after the interrupted finish.
Meetings were held between riders, race organisers, the UCI, and the CPA riders’ union pre-stage 11, with the race continuing, but with the warning that it might stop if protests continued to cause danger.
“This might be the last time we’ll have a stage winner in this Vuelta,” race leader Jonas Vingegaard told Denmark’s TV2 on Wednesday evening.
Cycling’s governing body, the UCI, condemned the events of stage 11: “The UCI reiterates the fundamental importance of the political neutrality of sports organisations within the Olympic Movement, as well as the unifying and pacifying role of sport. Major international sporting events embody a spirit of unity and dialogue, transcending differences and divisions.
“In this sense, the UCI reaffirms its commitment to the political neutrality, independence, and autonomy of sport, in accordance with the founding principles of the Olympic Movement.”
As things stand, on Thursday morning, Israel-Premier Tech remain in the race, and stage 12 will begin in Laredo at 2:13pm CET.
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