Chris Froome (right) has raced for Israel-Premier Tech since joining from Ineos in 2021. Photo: Getty Images/Tim de Waele
Chris Froome and his teammates will be issued with an empty training kit from Israel-Premier Tech amid growing concerns about rider safety in light of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Despite the implementation of training plans, Telegraph Sport understands that none of the Israel-Premier Tech riders reported any verbal or physical abuse during training.
In short, Israel-Premier Tech stated : “The 2024 season will be our 10th season in the professional peloton and we will continue to proudly compete as Israel's premier technology.
“The safety of our team members is of the utmost importance, which is why the team has taken several measures ahead of the 2024 season. This includes the use of a training kit that our riders can wear when outside the racing area, and training alone if they deem it necessary.”
Israel-Premier Tech's decision to issue training forms The kit comes two weeks after Sylvan Adams, the Israeli-Canadian billionaire who co-owns the team, said his riders were safe wearing standard jerseys.
Talking to the Radio Cycling podcast, Adams said: “What are you proposing? That people are going to attack us because our T-shirt says “Israel”? What are they going to do to us? Knock us off our bikes?
US rider Riley Sheehan celebrates winning the Paris Tour on his Israeli jersey motorcycle Photo: AFP/Guillaume Souvant
Froome, a four-time Tour de France winner, and his compatriots Mason Holliman and Stephen Williams ride for the Israel-Premier Tech team, whose team license is registered in Tel Aviv.
According to Telegraph Sport, Froome, Holliman and Williams were preparing for next year by training in America, Spain and Andorra respectively. Two more Britons – Jake Stewart and Ethan Vernon – will join the team in the new year from Groupama-FDJ and Soudal-Quick Step respectively when they receive their new Israel-Premier Tech empty training kit.
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