Israel-Premier Tech have removed their full name from riders’ jerseys for the rest of the Vuelta a España after pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the finish on stage 11. The stage ended without a winner after organisers decided to take the time at three kilometres before the line as police struggled to contain hundreds of protesters in Bilbao. The team were also stopped by a group holding Palestinian flags during last week’s team time trial in Figueres.
In a statement, the team said the decision was made to prioritise rider safety in light of the dangerous nature of some protests. The monogram kit aligns with branding previously adopted for vehicles and casual clothing. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, praised the team on social media for “not giving in to hate and intimidation”.
The Professional Cyclists’ Association had called for better security at the Vuelta before stage 11, with Israel-Premier Tech the main target. The team said they respected everyone’s right to protest as long as it remained peaceful and did not compromise the safety of the peloton.
Saturday’s stage 14 was won by Spain’s Marc Soler, who attacked solo on the final climb to La Farrapona. Jonas Vingegaard retained the overall lead with a second-place finish, while João Almeida stayed second and Tom Pidcock remained third after finishing eighth.
In the Tour of Britain, Remco Evenepoel won the queen stage at The Tumble in South Wales, denying British riders Thomas Gloag and Oscar Onley. Evenepoel moved up to second overall, two seconds behind Romain Grégoire, and said a GC win would be a “really good confidence boost”.
