SAEDNEWS: Spain’s foreign minister has voiced support for removing the Israeli-owned Israel-Premier Tech team from the Vuelta a España, as mounting demonstrations against Tel Aviv’s genocidal war on Gaza disrupt the race and expose the team to growing international backlash.
José Manuel Albares said in a radio interview that he “understands” calls for the team’s expulsion and would personally back such a move, though the final decision lies with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
“We cannot continue to maintain a normal relationship with Israel as if nothing were happening,” Albares said.
He stressed that Europe can only deal with Israel “when human rights are respected.”
The protests have repeatedly disrupted the Vuelta.
Stage 11 was cut short in Bilbao after pro-Palestinian demonstrators entered the course, forcing the cancellation of the finish.
Earlier, protestors blocked Israel-Premier Tech’s team time trial, and one rider crashed when activists stormed the road during stage 10.
Similar actions have already hit this year’s Giro d’Italia and Tour de France.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was the first senior European leader to accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza.
More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s assault began on October 7, 2023, according to UN figures, which also report mass hunger and tens of thousands of disabled children.
Israel-Premier Tech, however, has vowed to remain in the race.
“Israel-Premier Tech is a professional cycling team. As such, the team remains committed to racing on,” the team said in a statement.
Inside the cycling community, tensions are mounting.
Reports suggest some riders have privately demanded the Israeli squad withdraw.
Kiko García, the Vuelta’s technical director, admitted that the team’s presence endangers the race.
“If there are no changes, the protests will continue,” he said.
Protesters carrying Palestinian flags and banners denouncing Israeli war crimes have lined the route in multiple cities.
Slogans reading “Neutrality is complicity – Boycott Israel” were seen in Bilbao, a region with its own long tradition of resistance and solidarity with oppressed peoples.
Under pressure, members of Israel-Premier Tech have even attempted to hide their identity during competitions.
Spanish media reported that riders were forced to remove the Star of David and the word “Israel” from their jerseys, competing only under the name “Premier Tech.”
One of the team’s officials admitted a rider broke down in tears after the humiliating experience.
Despite extra security, including riot police escorts, the protests are expected to continue as the race heads toward Madrid.
The UCI insists on the “political neutrality” of sport, but for many demonstrators, the presence of a team tied to Israel amid its ongoing genocidal war in Gaza represents complicity in war crimes.
For now, Israel-Premier Tech remains in the race — but its participation has turned the Vuelta into a stage of political confrontation, amplifying global outrage over Israel’s criminal actions in Palestine.
