It was far from a simple end of the season for the members of Israel-Premier Tech. Caught in the eye of the storm and on all media pages in the sector (and beyond) for what happened at the Vuelta and then at the Italian races (deserted for safety reasons), the Israeli team found itself from September onwards navigating a path strewn with obstacles, doubts, and fears that, however, according to recent announcements, seem to have been almost entirely overcome.

The step back by owner Sylvan Adams and the rebranding, requested and obtained by bike supplier Factor and main sponsor Premier Tech, should indeed have directed the team of Marco Frigo and colleagues towards a more solid and undoubtedly calmer future, a good news that was surely welcomed with relief by both riders and staff members, both of whom were put to the test during very demanding weeks, especially from a nervous standpoint.

Among those who lived the Israel moment most closely is Francesco Frassi, sports director of the Israeli team who, after seeing the participation in the end-of-season Italian races fade away, flew to the Tour of Guangxi to guide his boys towards the last significant results of a 2025 that, regardless of its complicated epilogue, proved not to be lacking in satisfaction, given the conquest of the three-year pass for the World Tour 2026-2028.

It is to him, therefore, that we turned to have him tell us how the team faced the last part of the season and comment on the signing of the second Italian rider in the team next year, namely Alessandro Pinarello.

Francesco, how did you experience the last weeks of this season?

"As the Italian sports director of this team, the last weeks involved me very closely because, during this period, I was the one who maintained contact with the organizers and the one they called to discuss the situation. On this front, I can say I saw a lot of solidarity from the Italian organizers, and this pleased me greatly: everyone was very sorry not to have us at the start, but, reasoning in terms of overall safety, as a team we understood that it was not appropriate to show up at their races because we were truly risking the safety of riders and staff, so we preferred to skip these races. However, I want to thank Adriano Amici, Renzo Oldani, and also RCS and the organizers of Coppa Bernocchi because they all related to us in the right way and showed us respect. This is important because, cycling being a big family, in the end we all know each other and continue to see each other at races, and in this context, their behavior is absolutely to be appreciated".

How did the riders react to this period with all the related uncertainties about their race calendar?

"I must say that in my many years of experience, I rarely found riders with the level of intelligence and way of handling things that I encountered this year. Sometimes I can't believe how the guys managed to remain always calm, without making controversies or creating discussions in the stressful situations we found ourselves facing. They handled this moment really well, and this is proven by the fact that, despite a Vuelta like the one the team experienced, they came out with a top 5 overall with Riccitello and podiums with Frigo and Vernon: this certifies that our riders know how to manage certain situations, and for this, they truly deserve compliments".

In some way, did you feel the pressure when the sponsors, Factor and Premier Tech, requested a rebranding of the team?

"Honestly, from my point of view, not too much because our management always kept us calm, always spoke to us clearly and openly without ever transmitting stress. This, in the end, gave us tranquility even though we didn't know what might happen, but then everything seems to be proceeding for the best".

So for next year, with entry into the World Tour, do you expect to experience a calmer season in terms of calendar and your organization?

"That certainly yes, and because of both the rebranding and entry into the World Tour, we will be even more motivated because, while already working with a World Tour structure, when you see the writing that shows that status, the push is even greater".

Changing the subject, to conclude, what is your opinion on Pinarello?

"I'm happy about his arrival. I don't know him personally, but I've always followed him since the youth categories. Even back then, he was one of the best in his category worldwide, then he moved to VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè where he could grow calmly while still bringing home good results. I remember, for example, the second place behind Piganzoli at Antalya, which is a short stage race but still gives you an idea of how a rider can move on certain types of climbs. This year he had some bad luck at the Giro where he fractured his scaphoid and was forced to stop, but he had already shown good things at Tirreno, confirmed then in the end of the season where he still performed well. At the Giro della Toscana, which was near my home, on Monte Serra he defended himself optimally uphill despite being alongside riders like Del Toro and Carapaz. He's a young guy who, with our work method and our very well-structured reality regarding performance care, can explore his improvement margins, bring out his qualities, and grow a lot".