Canary Islands and Barcelona don't want to host the 2026 Vuelta finale and Tour start, when Israeli team participates

Stage 11 to Bilbao was neutralized, the finish of Stage 16 had to be moved last minute, and the chaotic scenes in Madrid’s final stage were alarming: the Vuelta was disrupted by pro-Palestinian protests for nearly the entire three weeks. The 2026 edition of the Tour of Spain is set to finish in the Canary Islands, but that now seems impossible if Israel–Premier Tech is on the start list.

Antonio Morales, president of Gran Canaria's island council, makes it clear to Marca that there is a condition for hosting the Vuelta. The island’s top representative acknowledged the desire to host stages of next year’s Vuelta, but only if the Israeli team is excluded.

“We find it unacceptable that there are no restrictions on Israel’s participation in the Vuelta, but also in basketball and the Eurovision Song Contest,” Morales said. That they would love to welcome the Vuelta is obvious. “It would be important for Gran Canaria and the entire archipelago, but not under these circumstances. We would not be willing.”

Still, Morales stressed that the decision is not yet final, though he insisted the principle will stand. “We’ve given ourselves some time to wait until international organizations make their decision,” he said, referring to treatment similar to that of Russia in sporting events.

Morales made his position clear. “Israel is committing genocide. We cannot accept being complicit in this cover-up.” He also pointed out that Gran Canaria has a historic Palestinian community and that his rejection is part of a broader social and political stance.

Morales is convinced that the owner of the Israeli team has boasted about his close ties to Netanyahu and that the cycling team is a propaganda project. “He can’t keep pretending nothing is going on,” he said firmly. If nothing changes, Morales concluded, then the Vuelta should not come to Gran Canaria.

That means the Vuelta a España isn’t the only race taking a hard stance against the participation of Israel–Premier Tech. Le Grand Départ, the start of the Tour de France, will be held in Barcelona next year. But if nothing changes, that too is in jeopardy, reports AS.

The Barcelona city council doesn’t want to cancel the Tour start, but also doesn’t want to see an Israeli team on the start line. David Escudé, the city’s sports councilor, explained: “We want the teams riding under the Israeli flag to stop racing under this flag, just as was done with Russia.”

“This isn’t just about cycling, a popular sport freely accessible to the public, but restrictions should apply at all international events to teams competing under the Israeli flag,” Escudé argued. He also urged the Olympic Committee and other sports bodies “not to look the other way.”