The president of the Israeli Cycling Federation has proposed the idea that the country could host the opening stages of the Tour de France in the future. "I can't say at the moment whether we will apply to host the Tour or organize it, but we never stop dreaming," said Dafna Lang, president of the Israeli Cycling Federation.
Lang's idea emerged less than three weeks after a fragile ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. In the same interview, she referenced the 2018 start of the Giro d’Italia in Israel, which saw three stages raced before the event 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 has a history spanning over a decade. While Lang stated she couldn't speak for Adams, she added, "I believe that if we have stable peace, we will carry out many high-level projects, inviting the whole world here. We are very optimistic people. We already brought the Giro here — so anything is possible."
In October 2023, Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, triggered Israel's military operations in Gaza. According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, Israel's attacks have so far killed at least 68,000 people, and much of Gaza has been destroyed. A fragile ceasefire was declared earlier this month but has already been violated multiple times.
Israel-Premier Tech's participation in road cycling events this season has drawn numerous protests and disruptions from pro-Palestinian demonstrators due to the country's invasion of Gaza — the most dramatic incident occurred during the Vuelta a España.
The routes for five stages were altered or shortened to avoid potential confrontations or road blockades. The final stage in Madrid was halted just 60 kilometers in when an estimated 100,000 protesters stormed the final circuit.
Following this, Israel-Premier Tech withdrew from several Italian races, including Il Lombardia, citing security risks. The team later announced it was "moving away from its current Israeli identity." In the same press release, it was also announced that Adams "has decided to step down from day-to-day management and no longer represent the team publicly."
