The stage race, O Gran Camiño, does not plan to invite Israel-Premier Tech to its next edition, organizers confirmed Thursday.
“It’s not a simple situation,” race director and former pro Ezequiel Mosquera, said to Marca. “Any organizer who had them last year is probably asking themselves the same questions we are now.”
The move comes just days after the Vuelta a España wrapped up under heavy pro-Palestinian protests over the Israeli team’s presence. Those demonstrations forced route changes on several stages and ultimately led to the cancellation of the final day in Madrid.
Won by Derek Gee in 2025
Israel-Premier Tech took part in the inaugural O Gran Camiño in 2022 and won this year’s overall title through Osgoode, Ont.’s Derek Gee, who left the squad in August. But even before the Vuelta turmoil, the team’s involvement had sparked smaller-scale protests in Galicia.
Unlike the Vuelta, O Gran Camiño is not part of the WorldTour, meaning Israel-Premier Tech has no automatic right to enter.
Mosquera said the scenes at the Vuelta created “maximum tension” for riders, team staff and organizers alike, describing the atmosphere as “very difficult to manage.” He stressed that O Gran Camiño’s mission is to showcase Galicia’s heritage and tourism while keeping a competitive sporting edge — and that declining to invite the team is about preserving the event’s objectivity and protecting its identity.
More fallout for IPT
The news comes as political leaders in Barcelona move to block Israel-Premier Tech from the 2026 Tour de France Grand Départ, amid ongoing fallout from the protests that disrupted this year’s Vuelta a España finale in Madrid.
Israel – Premier Tech takes first Grand Tour GC classification win
Barcelona is slated to host the Tour’s opening stages on July 4, 2026. City sports councillor David Escudé said officials are already exploring ways to prevent a repeat of the chaos that hit La Vuelta’s conclusion — including, in his view, barring Israeli-flagged teams from taking part.
“We want the teams that compete under the Israeli flag, in the same way that has happened with Russia, to stop competing with this flag,” Escudé said Tuesday on Betevé’s Bon dia. “This is not only about cycling. There must be restrictions on all international events for teams that participate with the Israeli flag. Sport cannot be used to whitewash what…
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