Israel–Premier Tech owner Sylvan Adams speaks out: "Overwhelming support from David Lappartient"

“We've had two tough days in the Basque Country,” said Adams, who refuses to remove the name Israel from the team name. “The region is known as a stronghold of extreme left-wing activists and separatists who like to protest. They are certainly not our friends. I remind you that in the 1960s and 1970s, the Basque underground ETA operated and formed an alliance with the PLO, or the Palestinian Liberation Organization.

“We weren't surprised by this unkind reaction, and yet I've never seen anything like it in a cycling race. A huge and disproportionate number of flags and signs for Palestine and against the state of Israel, and enormous amounts of hatred,” Adams said. “For the first time, I decided to sit in the support car to see what was happening and, in an extreme case, make a decision.”

“It was important for me to be there for the riders, some of whom felt threatened. They poured paint on our car, and at the end of the stage, we all saw the rioters pushing the guardrails and trying to get onto the course. The decision to neutralize was the right one because it was not safe for the riders. In my opinion, the police did what they could.”

“I call this violent group terrorists because they are violent people. In the end, they destroyed all the fans' bikes. The Basques have the best fans in the world, and it's a shame it ended this way,” said the owner of the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team, who finances the team with his own money.

“The CEO of ASO, Yeann Le Mounneur, also asked to remove the team from the race, but I said I wouldn't do that. If we give up, it's not only the end of our team, but also of all the other teams. Tomorrow they will demonstrate against the teams from Bahrain, the UAE, and Astana. There will be no end to the boycotts,” Adams explains his choice.

“I told them they were wrong and that we had the right to stay. I also received overwhelming support from the president of the International Cycling Union, David Lappartient,” Adams said. “At the end of the day, we are a sports team and we want to compete and win. We want to continue developing the young riders we train at the Israel Cycling Academy, and that is what we will continue to do.”

What now? “I always say that the best thing you can do is win and silence your opponents. And I believe we can do that in the final stage in Madrid with Ethan Vernon, our sprinter.”