Riders at the Vuelta a España have voted to continue racing but warned they may abandon the Grand Tour if pro-Palestinian protests persist. The decision followed disruptions that saw stage 16 end eight kilometres early on Tuesday after protesters waving Palestinian flags blocked the road.
Wednesday's stage 17 proceeded without major incidents after authorities limited access to the summit finish. A couple of Palestinian flags were seen, but no attempts to disrupt the race occurred. The international riders' association (CPA) said the vote involved representatives of all 23 teams, with the majority choosing to compete.
CPA vice-president Pascal Chanteur stated: 'The riders voted by a majority to stop in case of a new problem. They will then decide whether to continue or to end the event.' Bahrain Victorious rider Jack Haig commented: 'Unfortunately, we're being caught in the middle of something that maybe doesn't really involve us. At the moment we are just the pawns in a very large chess game.'
Spanish authorities announced an additional 1,500 police officers will be deployed over the weekend, the largest security operation in Madrid since the 2022 Nato summit. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska expressed confidence in balancing safety with the right to protest.
Stage 17 was won by Italy's Giulio Pellizzari, who attacked with 3.5km left on the climb to the finish. He finished 16 seconds ahead of Britain's Tom Pidcock, with Australia's Jai Hindley in third. Jonas Vingegaard increased his overall lead to 50 seconds over João Almeida.
