The 2026 pro cycling season and while most teams have everything locked in—riders, sponsors, and plans, the Team Formerly Known As Israel – Premier Tech is not quite there.
The soon-to-be WorldTour team was apparently blindsided when its title sponsor, Canadian company Premier Tech, pulled the plug.
2026 is around the corner…
On Nov. 7, the company said the decision followed “multiple discussions with the team and careful assessment of all relevant circumstances.” While noting the team’s planned name change for the 2026 season, Premier Tech said the move “overshadowed” the core reasons it had originally chosen to sponsor the squad, making continued support “untenable.”
Many wondered if that would spell the end for the team co-owned by Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams. Protests followed the team amid the Israel-Hamas war—causing not only disruptions, but cancellations of multiple stages at La Vuelta a España, including the final one into Madrid.
Then, there was further fallout for the team which included multiple un-invitations to races, or IPT deciding to skip a series of Italian races. Premier Tech voiced its concern following the events, as did its bike supplier, Factor. Although the team doesn’t receive sponsorship from the state of Israel, Adams is a vocal supporter of it, and it is registered in that country.
The future of Israel – Premier Tech
It was then announced Adams would step down in day-to-day operations, and the team would register elsewhere. Then Premier Tech announced its corporate divorce.
A leaked memo suggested the team’s future was secure, however. “Today, Premier Tech announced their intention to step down as co-title sponsor in 2026,” IPT’s Kjell Carlström wrote. “This announcement was not made in consultation with the team, which is why we were not in a position to inform internally prior to the announcement. We have many ongoing and exciting conversations with potential partners, and we expect to be able to update you all in the coming week.”
Italian media is now reporting that Visit Rwanda—which currently sponsors the famous soccer team Arsenal—may step in. What makes the rumour more plausible is that partnership is coming to an end this year. In a statement on Wednesday, the club said that the sponsorship “has exceeded the original goals of the partnership,” which were to promote conservation and sustainable…
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