Technical director of the Vuelta a España, Kiko García, hopes that Israel-Premier Tech will make the decision themselves to withdraw from the Grand Tour. He said this to the Spanish media outlet Carrusel Deportivo. According to García, the organizer does not have the authority to remove the ProTeam from the race.
The finale of the eleventh stage to Bilbao was greatly marred by a dangerous situation at the finish line. Due to the threat caused by Pro-Palestinian demonstrators, the organization decided to neutralize the race starting three kilometers before the finish.
There has been unrest along the route throughout the entire Vuelta. Many Pro-Palestinian protesters are demonstrating against the participation of the team Israel-Premier Tech in the Grand Tour. The ProTeam is sponsored by Israel, which according to several international organizations, including Amnesty International, is committing genocide in Gaza.
After the eleventh stage, in which dangerous situations again arose due to protests, the technical director of the Vuelta indicated that he hopes Israel-Premier Tech will take responsibility. According to the Spaniard, the organizer is not allowed to remove the ProTeam under the regulations. "There is only one solution: that the team from Israel realizes that their presence here does not ensure safety," he stated.
🚵♂️‼️ Kiko García, director técnico de #Lavuelta25, al micro de @BorjaCuadrado:
❌ "Solo hay una solución: que el propio equipo de Israel se diera cuenta que estando aquí 𝐍𝐎 facilita la seguridad"
⚠️ Dice que, como organizadores, el reglamento no les permite echarles pic.twitter.com/ujtXGMW7Rg
— Carrusel Deportivo (@carrusel) September 3, 2025
"I believe we made the best decision," García says to AS. "I conducted a survey among the teams and I felt the same. Now I just want to catch my breath. The situation will basically stay the same unless the regulations change. We, as organizers, are obliged to fight for the safety of the riders and the show must go on. Ultimately, they (the UCI) will have to decide whether to protect an international race like the Vuelta or a team. We can only do our job."
The technical director thus emphasizes once again that it is not up to the organization to remove Israel-Premier Tech from the race. "Last night I spoke until the early hours with the team manager (from Israel) to see if they had noticed the pressure increasing. I will not disclose their viewpoint, but there is only one solution. We cannot accept it, but temporarily and prioritizing everyone’s safety, there is only one solution: that the Israeli team themselves realize that by being here they do not promote the safety of everyone."
