Vuelta a España stages will be neutralised if further pro-Palestine protests disrupt the race, with no winner awarded and racing stopped completely, following a vote of riders’ union representatives.
In a vote held before stage 17 of the Spanish grand tour involving members of each of the 23 participating teams, the peloton were reportedly given a choice of continuing as normal (the stage being determined at the discretion of race organisers), neutralising the stage regardless of the scale of protest, or withdrawing from the race altogether.
According to Jack Haig, a representative of the CPA riders’ union, it was decided at the meeting that racing will be stopped completely if protesters disrupt the event, while further daily votes on the issue will take place until the Vuelta ends, as expected, in Madrid on Sunday.
The Bahrain-Victorious rider also emphasised that the ongoing protests – targeting Israel-Premier Tech’s involvement in the race – have affected the riders, who are concerned for their safety.
Haig also criticised recent decisions made by the Vuelta organisers, including moving the finish line of yesterday’s stage due to protests on the final climb, arguing that “racing to an undefined finish line is not really fair sport”.
The race organisers have varied their approach to the protests. On stage 11 to Bilbao, no stage winner was awarded but GC times were taken 3km from the finish on the outskirts of the city, where footage on social media showed the finish line barriers breached in one position.
But on yesterday’s summit finish in Galicia, the organisers chose to award the stage win and points classification points 8km from the finish. The day was won in a two-up sprint by Egan Bernal ahead of Mikel Landa. Social media from the finish showed protestors being detained.
Situation out of hand at 3.4km from finish. Race to finish 8km out. pic.twitter.com/ucnItVX4Ka
— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) September 9, 2025
Speaking to a group of reporters, including Cycling News, on behalf of the riders before stage 17, Bahrain Victorious’ CPA representative Haig said: “Unfortunately we’re being caught in the middle of something that maybe doesn’t even really involve us.
“And at the moment we are kind of just the pawns in a very large chess game that unfortunately is affecting us.
“We decided that if there is an incident that we would try to neutralise the race and then that would be it. In the end racing to an undefined finish line is not really fair sport.
The Australian continued: “Yesterday it started to become a little bit uncomfortable because there were some acts to maybe deliberately try and harm the riders by cutting down trees, by putting the thumb packs on the ground to deliberately light fires. It is now starting to get a little bit uncomfortable.
“I think everyone would quite like to arrive in Madrid, but we need it to happen in a fair way where riders are safe.”
Stage 17 of the Vuelta finishes with a steep summit finish of El Morredero and is expected to be crucial day for the race, now in its final week.
20 thoughts on ““We’re just pawns in a very large chess game”: Riders threaten to neutralise Vuelta if pro-Palestine protests disrupt race”
So not content with messing
So not content with messing up the middle east, Palestinians and their supporters now want to destroy road cycling, way to go!
A slightly over simplistic
A slightly over simplistic analysis
‘Analysis’ seems a little
‘Analysis’ seems a little generous.
I’m a generous guy as long as
I’m a generous guy as long as someone else buys thé first round …
Palestine issues are complex.
Palestine issues are complex and nuanced. This analysis is not.
Not content with messing up
Not content with messing up the middle east, conducting a genocide, Israel engage in sports washing and don’t like it when people protest about it.
VoiceOfLondon wrote:
You don’t want people to make a fuss… or perhaps you do, but in a discreet, undetectable way that doesn’t disrupt anything or anyone. Maybe change your name to VoiceOfZionistOpressors.
Riders should already know they are pawns. Wise up peloton people, have you never thought about why all that dirty money is put into sports sponsorship in the first place?
If you want to protest, do it
If you want to protest, do it at the side of the road.
If you don’t like your governments response then vote for some one else.
Even their neighbours aren’t queing up to open their borders, why is that?
If you continue to disrupt cycling events for your 15 minutes of fame, there will be no cycling.
I would forsake pro cycling
I would forsake pro cycling if it stopped Israel’s genocide…in….a…..heartbeat.
Gbjbanjs wrote:
Only Israels genocide? Is genocide undertaken or sponsored by other countries who have teams in the peloton acceptable? I see one-sided outrage as hypocrisy.
If you are unselectively
If you are unselectively outraged and are presumably outraged by everything * does this cancel out? Or does this mean you have to find time to picket yourself, in addition to everyone else?
Interesting philosophically I guess?
* Or don’t give one about anything?
chrisonabike wrote:
very clever word usage, chapeau. My english is not as good which is why my message is not getting across. I find it interesting that Israel/IPT gets protested for the genocide in gaza but that other county sponsored teams equally deserving of also being protested are ignored and are welcomed and supported. No one has yet managed to explain why that is. UCI need to get there shit together and ban IPT, UAE, Bahrain and Jayco Alula like they banned Russia.
ErnieC wrote:
It isn’t. There have been objections and protests against those teams. And likely most people who are protesting IPT wouldn’t have any objection to anyone also protesting those others – they just haven’t had something as immediate, visceral, and visible as what’s happening in Gaza to galvanise them into doing so.
mdavidford wrote:
Very subdued protests then, not seen one so far and I doubt we ever will. Sad but true.
VoiceOfLondon wrote:
Stepping into the realms of alternate histories for a moment, it’s interesting to speculate how much more miserable a world we would live in if the good people of Cable Street had confined their opposition to Mosley and the BUF to protesting at the side of the road, if Dr King and his followers in Selma had obeyed the orders not to walk in the road on the Edmund Pettus bridge, if Gandhi and his supporters had just protested by the side of the railway tracks instead of lying down across them…
Just for the avoidance of any doubt, VoiceOfLondon…isn’t.
Indeed – but like so much
Indeed – but like so much human history this depends strongly on outcome. No success (which is usually primarily in changing attitudes anyway) and it’s “tragic martyrs” with a slice of “brave but foolish”. But simply “glad we don’t have to put up with their disruption now” on the part of the majority.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Thanks Rendel. Lots more examples too. Perhaps VOL doesn’t like women being able to vote; or us menial worker types enjoying the delights of 2-day weekend, paid leave and sickness and many other perks gained through mass protest.
It’s usually privileged snobs who don’t wish to acknowledge that others should have rights too so perhaps VOL is a Torygraph-reading toff type (or wannabe).
Bloody Emily Davison spoiling
Bloody Emily Davison spoiling the Derby for all those royals, aristocrats and cabinet members who just wanted to enjoy their sport without political interference…
Rendel Harris wrote:
Exactly, what was she doing out of the kitchen for starters
Decent people boycott Israel.
Decent people boycott Israel.