Prime Minister Sánchez said he was “proud” of demonstrators who disrupted the Vuelta bicycle race, preventing the podium ceremony from taking place.

By World Israel News Staff

The final leg of Spain’s prestigious Vuelta cycling race was canceled Sunday after anti-Israel protesters stormed the course in central Madrid. The disruption drew praise from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The Vuelta, one of the sport’s most respected competitions, has been repeatedly disrupted this year by pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Protesters flooded the course, causing riders to crash, and at times blocked the route, forcing organizers and police to cancel entire portions of the race.

On Sunday, despite the deployment of some 1,500 police officers to secure the finish line, organizers were forced to halt the final stage after protesters mobbed the end of the course in central Madrid. Police estimated that around 100,000 people took part in the demonstration, which ultimately prevented the podium ceremony from taking place.

When news of the cancellation spread, demonstrators were heard chanting, “Palestine won the Vuelta.”

Speaking at a conference later that day, Sánchez said the disruption filled him with “pride,” praising Spaniards for their advocacy.

He claimed the protests showed how “Spain today shines as an example and as a source of pride, an example to an international community where it sees Spain taking a step forward in the defense of human rights.”

Tensions between Spain and Israel have rapidly deteriorated in recent weeks. Sánchez accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza and appeared to suggest that nuclear weapons could be used to halt Jerusalem’s military campaign in Gaza, a statement that drew a furious response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hostility against Israel was widespread throughout the competition.

The Israeli team was pressured to remove the word “Israel” from its uniforms during the race, citing safety issues.

Despite the protests, Matthew Riccitello, a 23-year-old rider for the Israeli team, was named the race’s Best Young Rider on Saturday, earning him a coveted white jersey.

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The 11^th stage of the Vuelta a España was cut short due to the danger posed by protesters.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

An Israeli cycling team refused Wednesday a hint by organizers to leave a prestigious race in Spain due to pro-Palestinian protests on the route, saying it would set a “dangerous precedent” for the future.

The Israeli Premier Tech team, competing in the Vuelta a España, issued a statement saying, “The team remains committed to continuing to compete in the Valletta. Any other course of action sets a dangerous precedent in cycling, not only for Israel Premier Tech, but for all teams.”

Earlier in the day, Kika Garcia, the director of the three-week race — the third and final Grand Tour of the men’s road cycling season — told a local radio station that he had asked the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the governing body of the sport, to have the Israelis withdraw.

“This was the most complicated day of the race. If no changes are made, the protests will continue,” he said. “Right now, the participation of Israelis is mandatory and we need to protect everyone. We have informed the UCI of our opinion. I hope things will change.”

The 11^th stage of race in and around Bilbao, Spain, was first delayed for 19 minutes when demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and carrying anti-Israel signs blocked the road.

Bilbao is known as a center of anti-Israel activism in a country often described as one of the most pro-Palestinian in Europe, with Spain’s government regularly condemning Israel during its war against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

With about 15 kilometers remaining for the stage leaders, organizers announced that the day’s race would end three kilometers short, with no stage winner declared, because they feared protests at the finish line would endanger riders.

It was the first time in the 80-year history of the competition that a stage was cut short.

Tom Pidcock, one of two riders who reached the improvised stopping point first and one of the overall leaders in the demanding race that runs through Italy, France, Andorra and Spain, said he understood that riders’ safety came first.

Still, “it was hard to describe the disappointment” of having to end early, he said, because he thought he had a good chance winning the stage.

“But risking our lives is unacceptable. Protesting at the expense of our safety does not advance anyone’s cause,” he noted.

Similar demonstrations have disrupted several stages of the race.

Men and women entered the road in front of the Israelis during the Stage 5 team time trial, and ran onto the course in Stage 10 as the peloton was passing by, despite police efforts to stop them.

This forced several riders to slow down or swerve out of the way, and one, Simone Petilli crashed as a result.

Although he suffered only a minor injury, Petilli implored the anti-Israel demonstrators not to endanger the racers in a post he wrote on X Wednesday morning.

“I understand that is not a good situation, but yesterday I crashed because of a protest on the road,” he wrote. “Please, we are just cyclists and we are doing our job, but if it will continue like this our safety is not guaranteed anymore, and we feel in danger! We just want to race! Please.”

The UCI condemned the protests, saying the right to demonstrate cannot come “at the expense of the safety of the athletes.”

Echoing Petelli, the body said that the racers “are not involved in political matters and are just doing their job.”

The Israeli team thanked the “race organizers and the UCI for their continued support and cooperation, as well as the teams and riders who expressed their support publicly and privately, and of course, our fans.”

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An anti-Israel protester stormed the track at a cycling event in France, waving a keffiyeh, and was tackled by a French bystander who removed him from the track before he could harm any of the bikers.

French man decides to intervene when an anti-Israel protester with a keffiyeh in his hand decides to put the lives of cyclists at risk during a race pic.twitter.com/usi8zwpia4

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 18, 2025

The post WATCH: Anti-Israel protester gets tackled attempting to interrupt cycling race appeared first on World Israel News.

The 26-year-old Einhorn, from the Israeli town of Modiin, beat out 205 cyclists from 38 countries.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli cyclist Itamar Einhorn won the opening stage of the Tour de Taiwan on Sunday, becoming the first Israeli to wear the yellow jacket in one of Asia’s oldest races.

Einhorn’s victory came two weeks after his success at the Tour de Rwanda, where he and Israel Premier – Tech Cycling Team teammate Joseph Blackmore each won two stages.

“When everyone knows you’re a dangerous rider, it doesn’t make it any easier,” said Einhorn.

The 26-year-old Einhorn, from the Israeli town of Modiin, beat out 205 cyclists from 38 countries in the 83.2 km opening stage with a time of one hour, 39 minutes and 13 seconds.

“There were a lot of attacks and a lot of chaos, but in the final straight, I positioned myself excellently, gave it my all, and fortunately, it was enough to win. It’s wonderful to start the race like this, and I’m glad I’m continuing the momentum from Rwanda,” Einhorn said.

Einhorn will defend his yellow jersey in the tour’s second stage in the northern Taiwanese city of Taoyuan on Monday.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1766793174545055960

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