The head of Spain’s top cycling race delivered a sharp rebuke Monday to protesters who forced the abandonment of the Vuelta a Espana’s final stage, calling the chaotic scenes “absolutely unacceptable.”
Javier Guillen, the race’s general manager, spoke to reporters a day after pro-Palestinian demonstrators targeting the Israel-Premier Tech team brought Sunday’s finale to a halt just three kilometers from the finish line in Madrid.
Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard was declared the winner after the stage was abandoned, but Guillen said he was deeply disappointed.
“I want to express my regret, but especially condemn what happened in the last stage of the Vuelta a Espana,” Guillen said at his news conference in the Spanish capital. “The images speak for themselves. I believe that everything that happened is absolutely unacceptable.”
The protests, which demonstrators said were sparked by Israel’s actions in Gaza, saw them chanting “they will not pass” as they overturned metal barriers and occupied the race route.
Two people were arrested and 22 police officers were injured, according to the Spanish government.
Guillen said organizers had tried to accommodate peaceful demonstrations during the three-week tour, but the safety of the cyclists forced their hand.
“What happened was that, about three kilometers from the finish line, there was another invasion of the road in which riders fell to the ground,” he explained. “We were now talking about not only the impossibility of completing the stage normally, but also the fact that the safety of the cyclists was clearly in danger.”
Race guided by UCI rules
Guillen sidestepped repeated questions about whether the Israel-Premier Tech team, which is not funded by Israel, should have been allowed to compete, saying organizers simply followed International Cycling Union (UCI) regulations.
“We have never wanted to enter into any debate. We have always been focused and concentrated on what we had to do: to get the race going,” Guillen said.
“The position of the tour is clear. We are guided by the regulations of the International Cycling Union. It’s the International Cycling Union that’s responsible for the regulatory framework that we follow. The rules of participation are set by the UCI. It’s responsible for regulating the right of admission to races; it’s responsible for establishing the right or penalty of exclusion from races, and at all times we have adhered to the principle of legality.”
Spanish prime minister’s comments criticized
At a political rally Sunday, before the cycling protest, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed “admiration for the Spanish people mobilizing for just causes like Palestine” by demonstrating during the race.
His comments drew criticism from Spanish conservative politicians and Israel’s foreign minister.
On Monday, reacting to the events, Sanchez said that while he condemned the violent protests, he believed Israel and Russia should be banned from international sports competitions until the wars in Gaza and Ukraine end.
Dana Erlich, Israel’s charge d’affaires in Spain, denounced the demonstrations.
“Hatred has succeeded in silencing the spirit of sport, forgetting the essential purpose of these competitions: to build bridges, unite cultures and celebrate the power of unity,” she said.
“In these terms, this is not legitimate criticism. This has nothing to do with politics; it has been an act of violence and intimidation. We urge public representatives to condemn violence and reject this type of coercion and finger-pointing.”