NSN Cycling Team announced: IPT-project secures WorldTour future, backed by footballer Andrés Iniesta

Israel-Premier Tech has disappeared from the peloton after many years. The squad lost its Israeli identity—and with it, its main sponsors. That forced the organisation to search for new backers and a fresh start. Now, the news is finally out: the team has secured new sponsors and a new name. NSN Cycling Team is born.

The formation takes its name from NSN, a company specialising in entertainment and sport. NSN stands for Never Say Never, which will become the team’s new motto. The company was co-founded by Spanish football legend Andrés Iniesta, scorer of the winning goal against the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final. Stoneweg, an investment firm based in Switzerland, will cover the largest part of the team’s budget.

General manager Kjell Carlström has finally found the partners he was looking for, after both Premier Tech and Factor cut ties with the organisation following protests surrounding the Israeli team. “We are proud to welcome NSN and Stoneweg to the team and announce our new name and identity: NSN Cycling Team,” the former rider said in a press release.  

Thanks to NSN and Stoneweg, riders no longer need to fear for 2026. “NSN’s acquisition of the team license, and subsequent role in the team’s operations, is an opportunity to welcome investment from an industry leader in global sports and entertainment, drawing on their wealth of experience to the benefit of the team and our partners.”

“NSN shares our commitment to innovation, development, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in cycling,” said Carlström. “Our long-term relationship with Stoneweg acts as a foundation for this new partnership and together, we have ambitious goals for the coming WorldTour cycle. This is an incredibly exciting new chapter for the team, and we can’t wait to make our debut as NSN Cycling Team.”

NSN already has considerable experience in supporting and organizing projects in sports, such as soccer, as well as music, marketing and much more. Cycling, however, is a new, and very exciting, step for the company. "It is a huge challenge for NSN to immerse ourselves in the world of cycling, a sport with global reach," said NSN President and co-founder Joel Borràs.

It represents a fantastic opportunity to explore new ways of communicating and connecting with a sport that aligns with the values of our company, and for the NSN Cycling Team to bring fresh passion to a sport that has inspired millions of people for many year," Borràs concluded. It is also reportedly round that the team will ride on Scott bikes, after Factor dropped out of the project.

The full roster has yet to be announced, though it was already clear that the team had parted ways with several high-profile riders: Pascal Ackermann, Michael Woods, Derek Gee, Matthew Riccitello and Chris Froome have all departed. A major exodus—but some names have also joined. Lewis Askey, Ryan Mullen and Alessandro Pinarello have already made the switch.

Biniam Girmay is also expected to join. La Gazzetta dello Sport previously confirmed that the deal was done, though the announcement has not yet been made. Riders such as Joe Blackmore, Alexey Lutsenko, Ethan Vernon, Stephen Williams and Corbin Strong are expected to stay with the organisation.