The race concludes Sunday in Madrid, where police are preparing on an unprecedented scale in anticipation of further demonstrations.
The hostile protests prompted the Israel-Premier Tech riders to change their uniforms during the competition.
“In the interest of prioritizing the safety of our riders and the entire peloton, in light of the dangerous nature of some protests at the Vuelta a España, Israel-Premier Tech has issued riders with team monogram-branded kit for the remainder of the race,” the team announced last week.
“The team name remains Israel-Premier Tech, but the monogram kit now aligns with the branding decisions we have previously adopted for our vehicles and casual clothing,” the statement continued.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed support for the team in a social media post on Sept. 5: “Great job to [team owner] Sylvan [Adams] and Israel’s cycling team for not giving in to hate and intimidation. You make Israel proud!”
