Announced, official! The Israeli cycling team Premier Tech, whose presence was criticized in several races this season by pro-Palestinian demonstrators, changed its name and structure to “NSN Cycling Team”, which was last demonstrated on Thursday.
“International sports and entertainment company NSN (Never Say Never) and Stoneweg, a global investment platform based in Geneva, Switzerland, have entered into a joint venture in professional road cycling to take over the WorldTour and Development team structure (from Israel Premier Tech, Editor’s Note) for the 2026 season,” reads the press release. “As a result, the name of the new World Tour team is NSN Cycling Team. »
The new team will be based in Spain
The text further emphasizes that the new team is “Swiss” in nationality and its structure will be “Spanish”, based in Barcelona and Girona, in Catalonia.
This formation replaces the Israeli PT whose presence in the peloton has been contested several times this season by pro-Palestinian demonstrators, especially during the Tour of Spain, against the backdrop of the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
At the start of the month, Canadian group Premier Tech announced that it was immediately withdrawing from the team, as it deemed it “unsustainable” to continue sponsoring it. He has since joined French team Saint-Michel – Preference Home-Auber93.
“While we have noted the team’s decision to continue under a new name for the 2026 season, the very reason for our involvement with the team has disappeared to such an extent that it is now unsustainable for Premier Tech to continue in its role as sponsor,” Premier Tech argued.
A month earlier, the Israeli PT team had actually announced that it would change its name and move away from its “current Israeli identity.” He added that its owner, Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, would step down and “no longer speak on behalf of the team.”
“We are proud to welcome NSN and Stoneweg to the team and announce our new name and new identity,” said Thursday’s reaction, general manager of the NSN Cycling Team, Kjell Carlström, quoted in a press release.
According to the text, training camps are planned to be held next week, while the team’s new colors and program will be announced “in the coming weeks.” Will this be enough to calm the animosity around the team?
