By: Fern Sidman

In a powerful and deeply emotional moment that captured both resilience and hope, Israel-Premier Tech (IPT) honored Ofer Calderon — an Israeli cycling enthusiast who spent 484 days in Hamas captivity — as their special guest at the final stage of the 2025 Tour de France on Sunday. The event, held on Paris’s iconic Champs-Élysées, marked Calderon’s extraordinary journey from darkness to light, from the tunnels of Gaza to the celebratory finish line of the world’s most prestigious cycling race.

As reported by Israel National News, Calderon’s appearance alongside the Israeli team fulfilled a solemn promise made to him and his son, Erez, who was released in November 2023 as part of the first hostage deal with Hamas. Back on the 100th day of their captivity, team owner and philanthropist Sylvan Adams had led a global solidarity cycling event from the Tel Aviv Velodrome, riding beside Erez and vowing that when Ofer was finally released, he would join the team at the Tour de France.

That promise was fulfilled on Sunday, as Calderon — still visibly carrying the emotional weight of his ordeal — pedaled through the heart of Paris beside Adams and team co-founder Ron Bar-On. As the Israel National News report documented, Calderon’s appearance marked a moment of partial closure for the IPT family and a symbol of the enduring call for the release of all hostages still held in Gaza.

“I’m still in shock from this moment. It’s incredibly emotional, but I’m also torn — it’s hard knowing the hostages are still there and that soldiers are being killed. Let’s bring them home,” Calderon told reporters. Despite the joy of his presence in Paris, he made clear that this was no celebration — not while others remain in captivity.

For Adams, the significance was equally profound. “This is an incredible moment for Ofer and all of us — but this victory will not be complete until they all return home — now!” he declared, reinforcing IPT’s central message throughout this year’s Tour: freedom for the remaining hostages.

The symbolic weight of Calderon’s ride was unmistakable. According to Israel National News, Ofer emerged from Hamas captivity — where he had reportedly seen sunlight for only three hours in 484 days — to ride a bicycle up the Champs-Élysées toward the Arc de Triomphe, hours before the final peloton arrived. His appearance alongside the Israeli squad was met with tears from team members and spectators, who recognized the stark contrast between the tunnels of Gaza and the tree-lined grandeur of central Paris.

“I’ve never been to Paris, certainly not on a bicycle,” Calderon said. “Everything looks so big to me… so wide… so many people… everything is a lot. I’m so emotional to be here with the team. But this joy can’t be complete. We still have hostages in Gaza, our soldiers are there, and some are being killed. Nothing will be complete until they’re all back home.”

As the Israel National News report observed, Calderon’s return to life has not been easy. Though often appearing joyful during his stay in Paris, those closest to him noted the lingering trauma. His cycling companion and close friend, Shai Reva, emphasized the ongoing challenges: “Even months after being freed, Ofer is still struggling to stabilize the ground beneath his feet. He hasn’t completed his return to life. But he’s on the way, and arriving in Paris, riding here across the city — that’s part of his return to solid ground.”

Reva described the ride as a “personal victory and a victory over evil.” That victory was etched into the moment when Calderon, in a gesture of freedom, picked up speed and raised his arm high as he rode — a familiar expression of triumph for cyclists worldwide. “Hope is what kept me going there,” Ofer later explained. “I believed I’d get out. I believed I’d ride again. And here I am.”

Throughout the 2025 Tour de France, Israel-Premier Tech used its global platform to amplify the call for hostage release. As Israel National News reported, the team dedicated this year’s campaign to those still held by Hamas, displaying their faces and names on vehicles and uniforms. The message was clear: these athletes ride not only for glory but for justice and remembrance.

This year marks IPT’s sixth consecutive participation in the Tour de France. The team — Israel’s first and only professional squad at cycling’s highest level — has delivered a standout performance with daring breakaways by Joe Blackmore and Krists Neilands, sprint surges by Pascal Ackermann and Jake Stewart, and expert climbing from veteran Michael Woods. Despite efforts by a small number of anti-Israel protesters along the route, Adams noted that the team has been overwhelmingly embraced by international fans.

“This team proudly wears Israel’s name on its jersey,” Adams told Israel National News. “We have been embraced by the vast majority of fans lining the route, cheering us on and reminding us of the power of sport to build connection and shared humanity. While a small number of pro-Hamas and anti-Israel protesters have tried to disrupt the race, their presence has been isolated and insignificant. Their noise was drowned out by the warmth and welcome we have felt at every stage.”

Adams also reflected on the profound fulfillment of the commitment he made to the Calderon family. “We promised Erez and Ofer that he would join us at the Tour. And now it happened. It’s so symbolic. It’s so special. Here he is beside us. But we have to say: without all the hostages coming home — it’s not a full victory. And that’s also why we brought Ofer to this enormous stage: to call for that from here.”

As the final kilometers of the Tour unfolded, Ofer Calderon stood at the finish line in the team’s VIP section, his arm still bandaged from captivity but his spirit clearly unbroken. He embraced riders and team officials alike, offering his presence as a beacon of survival — and as a solemn reminder of those still waiting to be freed.

In the words of Israel National News, Calderon’s ride was not merely a symbolic gesture. It was a testament to the enduring spirit of those who survive, the moral obligation to bring others home, and the unyielding power of sport to illuminate the darkest corners of human experience.