Israel – Premier Tech is heading to the Emirates for the sixth time, bringing a highly motivated squad ready to take on the seven-stage challenge in the desert. The team has a clear goal: to fight for top results in both the General Classification (GC) and stage victories.
Leading the charge in the sprints will be Israeli National Champion Oded Kogut, who will take on the world’s best sprinters in three high-speed battle stages. Meanwhile, Alexey Lutsenko and Matthew Riccitello will spearhead the GC ambitions, as IPT aims to leave a mark on this early-season WorldTour race. The competition will be fierce, with the world’s top teams bringing their A-game, including defending champion and reigning World Champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates).
Despite the strong competition, IPT’s Head Sports Director for the UAE Tour, Dror Pekatch, is confident in his team’s ability to rise to the challenge. Backing Kogut, Lutsenko, and Riccitello will be a solid supporting cast, including four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome, climbing specialist Jan Hirt (making his IPT race debut), as well as Israeli rising star Nadav Raisberg and Canadian powerhouse Pier-André Côté.
Pekatch says: “This will be my fourth UAE Tour and IPT’s sixth overall, but I believe that for this 2025 edition, we are bringing a squad that is best suited to the race’s specific challenges. A top-five GC finish and a podium result in one of the sprint stages with Oded would be fantastic goals. Is it ambitious? Yes. Is it within reach? I believe it is.”
For Kogut, the challenge will be immense as he faces world-class sprinters, including Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin – Deceuninck), Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), Olav Kooij (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), and Jonathan Milan (Lidl – Trek). However, after securing his first professional victory at Cro Race last season, Kogut is ready to take the next step.
Pekatch adds: “He has the potential to grow into a top-level sprinter, and this race will be a key opportunity for him to prove himself at the highest level.”
Kogut’s best chances will come in stages 4, 5, and 6, while stages 1, 3, and 7 will be crucial in the GC battle. A last-minute route change has added a hard climb to the opening stage — a challenging start for Lutsenko and Riccitello. The climbers will also have to conquer two additional summit finishes, including the decisive Jebel Hafeet climb that is expected to determine the overall winner.
For IPT owner Sylvan Adams, as well as Israeli riders and supporters around the world, the team’s participation in the UAE Tour carries significance beyond sport.
Adams explains: “We first raced here five years ago, just six months before Israel and the UAE signed the Abraham Accords. Even then, we were met with warmth — not hostility. I still remember Emirati children lining up to receive a souvenir water bottle with the name ‘Israel’ on it.
“When the Abraham Accords were signed at the White House, I was honored to be among the few Israelis invited by our American hosts. U.S. peace negotiators told me that IPT’s reception in Dubai gave them hope that the agreement would lead to a warm peace — and that’s exactly what has happened.
“Our presence here, racing in blue and white jerseys carrying the name of Israel in an Arab country, is a powerful symbol of friendship, unity, and the ability of sport to bring people together. I hope to see this peace extend to other Muslim and Arab nations in the future.”
This year, the symbolism runs even deeper, as Israeli champion Kogut will lead the team’s sprint ambitions, proudly wearing his blue-and-white national champion’s jersey on the big stage. He says: “I feel the responsibility and the weight of this moment, but I embrace it with great pride.”
IPT at UAE Tour (Monday February 17 – Sunday February 23)
Riders: Oded Kogut (ISR), Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ), Matthew Riccitello (USA), Chris Froome (GBR), Jan Hirt (CZE), Nadav Raisberg (ISR), Pier-André Côté (CAN)
Sports Directors: Dror Pekatch (ISR), Alex Cataford (CAN)
