New-look NSN Cycling Team starts Tour de France in Barcelona after year of protests

The NSN Cycling Team made a fresh start at the Tour de France presentation in Barcelona, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere of the previous year when they competed as Israel-Premier Tech. Last year, the team faced significant protests and heightened security due to their involvement in races amid opposition to Israel's war in Gaza.

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I think it’s special for everyone because it’s Barcelona and because we’re all involved in this wonderful project.

Demonstrations disrupted races like the Vuelta a Espana, and during the 2025 Tour de France opening in Lille, riders were escorted by plainclothes officers. Extra security was provided throughout the tour, with police guarding the team bus. A protester even disrupted the sprint finish of a stage, wearing a t-shirt reading "Israel out of the Tour."

After more than a decade with an Israeli identity, the team has undergone a complete rebranding. In November, the sports and entertainment company Never Say Never, co-founded by former Barcelona and Spain footballer Andres Iniesta, took over ownership. The team is now registered with a Swiss license and operates mainly from Girona and Barcelona, the starting point of this year's prestigious race.

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It's obviously a pretty exciting start to the Tour de France for us this year with NSN's home city, and the Tour de France is already such a big race, but we can really feel the excitement in our team and our organization with the Barcelona start.

"I think it’s special for everyone because it’s Barcelona and because we’re all involved in this wonderful project," Iniesta told a press conference. Sam Bewley, NSN Cycling Team's head sports director, highlighted the significance of Barcelona hosting the start. "It's obviously a pretty exciting start to the Tour de France for us this year with NSN's home city," Bewley told Reuters, adding that the team can feel the excitement. "It certainly feels different from the last couple of years where we started in places that we didn't have any relationship with."

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It certainly feels different from the last couple of years where we started in places that we didn't have any relationship with.

Bewley insisted that the team's sporting ethos remains unchanged despite the new Catalan identity. "We've changed our owners and our management and our sponsors, but nothing's changed in the sense of just focusing on performance," he said. "I don't think anybody enjoyed the disruptions we had last year, but I've always just been focused on trying to get the best out of our athletes, and this remains the same this year." Led by Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay, NSN aims for success in this year's Tour.

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We've changed our owners and our management and our sponsors, but nothing's changed in the sense of just focusing on performance.