The president of the Israeli Cycling Federation has floated the idea that the country could host the first stages of the Tour de France in the future. "I can't say right now whether we will apply to start the Tour or organize it, but we never stop dreaming," said Dafna Lang, president of the Israeli Cycling Federation.
Lang's idea came to light less than three weeks after a fragile ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. In the same interview, he referenced the start of the 2018 Giro d'Italia in Israel, where three stages were held before the race returned to Sicily. It was the first time one of the three Grand Tours had started outside of Europe.
The initiative was spearheaded by Sylvan Adams, owner of the WorldTour team Israel-Premier Tech, which began more than a decade ago. While Lang said he couldn't speak for Adams, he added, "I believe that if we have stable peace, we will implement a lot of high-profile projects, inviting the whole world here. We are very optimistic people. We already brought the Giro here — so anything is possible."
In October 2023, a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, triggered Israeli military action in Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 68,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks so far, and much of Gaza has been destroyed. A fragile ceasefire was declared earlier this month, but it has already been violated several times.
Israel-Premier Tech's participation in road cycling this season has caused numerous protests and disruptions from pro-Palestinian demonstrators in response to the country's invasion of Gaza — the most dramatic incident occurring during the Vuelta a España.
The routes of five stages were changed or shortened to avoid potential confrontations or roadblocks. The final stage in Madrid was stopped after just 60 kilometers when an estimated 100,000 protesters invaded the final lap.
Israel-Premier Tech subsequently withdrew from several Italian races, including Il Lombardia, citing security concerns. The team later announced that it was “moving away from its current Israeli identity.” The same press release also announced that Adams “has decided to step back from day-to-day management and will no longer represent the team publicly.”
