Pro-Palestinian activists protesting the participation of Israeli cyclists caused multiple disruptions during the final stage of the Vuelta a España cycle race in Madrid on Sunday evening, eventually forcing organizers to cancel the final part of the race and declare Danish racer Jonas Vingegaard the winner.
“It is still unknown whether there will be a winning ceremony with the situation as it is, with thousands of protesters filling downtown Madrid,” organizers told The Guardian. “The race has been officially ended and Jonas Vingegaard is the winner.”
Demonstrators repeatedly blocked the race route and clashed with police as part of their campaign against Israeli participation.
Footage broadcast on TV station RTVE showed protesters overturning metal barriers and occupying the street at several points. Barricades were thrown into the path of cyclists along Gran Vía, a major city thoroughfare, endangering their physical safety.
The clashes followed comments by Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who earlier expressed admiration for the pro-Palestinian activists whose activities along the route was disruptive enough to prompt some riders to threaten to quit the competition.
More than 1,000 officers were stationed along the route to manage the demonstrations and maintain order during the final stage of the 21-day race. The protests, focused on the Israel-Premier Tech team, have affected several stages in recent days.
At a Socialist party rally in the southern city of Malaga, Sánchez said ”Today marks the end of the Vuelta. … Our respect and recognition for the athletes and our admiration for the Spanish people who are mobilizing for just causes like Palestine.”
While Sánchez was referring to the end of this year’s Vuelta, the fact that Spanish law enforcement failed to uphold order so athletes could finish the race puts in question whether the country is a safe place for cyclists to compete.
