The International Cycling Union (UCI) confirmed on Wednesday that the Andres Iniesta-headed NSN Cycling Team, formerly Israel Premier Tech, will compete on the elite World Tour for the next three years.

The new team largely takes over the structure of Israel PT, which was targeted by pro-Palestinian protests earlier this year, leading to the disruption of several major races.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators caused stages of the Vuelta a España to be shortened or neutralized and also triggered crashes involving riders. Israel PT were later forced to withdraw from races in Italy amid concerns over further protests.

The team was previously owned by Canadian-Israeli property developer Sylvan Adams, who had dubbed himself an unofficial ambassador for Israel. In October, Israel signed a fragile ceasefire with Palestinian armed group Hamas in Gaza after two years of war.

NSN Cycling Takes Shape Under Andres Iniesta

Former Spain and Barcelona football star Andres Iniesta is a co-founder of the sports and entertainment agency NSN, which partnered with Swiss global investment platform Stoneweg to take over the team in November.

NSN Cycling will race under a Swiss license but will be based in Spain. The team has already secured a marquee signing in Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay.

The UCI announcement confirms NSN Cycling among the 18 teams awarded World Tour status for the next three seasons.

Lotto-Intermarché Merger Official With De Lie As Leader

Girmay's former team, Intermarché, was also included on the World Tour list. It will compete under the new name Lotto-Intermarché, confirming the long-anticipated merger between the two Belgian organizations.

"In recent months we have worked very hard behind the scenes to build a solid project, based on the foundations of Lotto Cycling Team and Intermarché-Wanty," new team CEO Jean-Francois Bourlart said in a statement.

The merged Lotto-Intermarché squad will be led by 23-year-old Belgian rising star Arnaud De Lie.