Israel hopes to follow up on the 2017 Giro d'Italia start by also hosting the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in the future. That is what Dafna Lang – director of the Israeli Cycling Federation – told l'Equipe. The statements are striking, considering Israel is under intense criticism due to the conflict taking place in Gaza. This has also impacted the peloton recently.
The presence of ProTeam Israel-Premier Tech has sparked controversy in several races. Especially in the Vuelta a España, where protesters caused multiple stages to be canceled or forced the finish to be moved at the very last moment. The Israeli team then withdrew from the series of Italian autumn classics. Moreover, the team owned by Sylvan Adams announced it will no longer use the name Israel starting next year.
In April 2024, the first rumors about a possible Grand Départ in Israel emerged, although Adams never publicly confirmed it. Lang doesn’t either now, but she elaborates further in l'Equipe. “I can't say right now that we’re bidding to organize the start of the Tour, but we never stop dreaming. I can't speak for Sylvan. But I believe that once there is stability and peace, we will realize many top-quality projects to welcome the world. We are very optimistic people. We’ve already brought the Giro to Israel, so anything is possible.”
