Israel wants to host the Tour de France, with the possibility raised seven years after it hosted the Giro d'Italia Grande Partenza and just three weeks into a very fragile ceasefire in the Middle East.
Israel bombed Gaza yesterday, Tuesday, after accusing Hamas of failure to return the remains of hostages it took two years ago when it staged an attack on people at a music festival in Israel.
Dafna Lang, the president of the Israeli Cycling Federation, has said following on from the Giro's visit to Israel, anything was possible it terms of hosting major European races.
She added the dream was still to play host to the Tour and she believed Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams could play a part in the plan.
The Giro's visit to Israel in 2018 was the first time the Italian Grand Tour had ever started outside Europe, with Adams centrally involved.
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However, in recent weeks Adams has stepped back from day to day involvement in the team he founded, Israel Premier Tech, as it prepares to break from its Israeli identity in the face of pro-Palestine protests.
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The strength and size of the protests the team faced at La Vuelta last month resulted in some stages being changed or abandoned, with the organisers even scrapping the final stage to Madrid midway through the racing.
But despite the Israeli team being targeted in that way, including having to withdraw from a series of races in Italy this month, or having their invites cancelled, due to the risk of protests, Lang has told L’Équipe Israel wants to host the Tour.
“I can’t tell you that we’re applying or planning to host it, but we never stop dreaming,” she told L’Équipe, in remarks strongly suggesting while the desire was to bring the Tour to Israel, the project was not advanced.
“I can’t speak for Sylvan Adams, but I believe once we have lasting peace, we’ll realise many big projects by welcoming the world. We’re very optimistic - we brought the Giro here already, anything is possible.”
Adams said last year he had been in talks with Tour organisers ASO “so that they follow the example of the Giro, by initiating the start of this legendary race in Israel”.
Though Israel was not a headline sponsor of Israel Premier Tech, the team has always had a strong Israeli identity and is registered in Israel. However, in the face of protests, and pressure from its sponsors, the team is working on a new identity and breaking all links with Israel.
Last month, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel said in its report “Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip”. The attacks on Gaza, for two years, followed an attack by Hamas in Israel in October, 2023.
