Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock and race leader Jonas Vingegaard were at the front when stage 11 ended early.
Stage 11 of the Vuelta a Espana concluded prematurely with no official winner, as race organizers halted Wednesday’s competition three kilometers before the finish due to pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The announcement of the early cessation of the 157.4km stage in Bilbao came with approximately 20 kilometers remaining.
“Due to incidents occurring near the finish line, a decision has been made to record times at the three-kilometer mark,” the race director announced via Radio Vuelta.
“Consequently, there will be no stage winner. Points will be awarded for the mountain classification and intermediate sprint, but not for the finish line.”
At the time of the stage’s conclusion, Tom Pidcock of Great Britain and overall leader Jonas Vingegaard were leading the pack.
Pidcock had launched an attack on the final ascent, with only Vingegaard able to match his pace.
“Words can hardly express the disappointment I feel. I truly believed today was my opportunity,” Pidcock stated.
Vingegaard commented: “Today is my son’s first birthday, and I was determined to win for him.”
“We dedicated the entire day to this effort, and to be denied the chance is, understandably, a significant disappointment.”
Prior to stage 11, riders convened for a safety meeting, while the Professional Cyclists’ Association advocated for enhanced security measures at an event where the Israel-Premier Tech team has been specifically targeted.
During stage five, the Israel-Premier Tech team encountered delays caused by protestors displaying pro-Palestinian flags and banners.
Italian cyclist Simone Petilli also suffered a fall on stage 10 after protestors entered the roadway.
“I understand the gravity of the situation, but yesterday, I crashed due to a protest on the road,” Petilli shared on social media.
“We are simply cyclists performing our duties, but if this continues, our safety is no longer guaranteed, and we feel endangered! Our only desire is to compete.”
Following stage 11, Pidcock remarked: “Endangering our safety will not further your cause.”
Israel’s military initiated a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of 251 individuals.
According to the territory’s health ministry, at least 63,633 people have been killed in Gaza since then.
Stage 12 of 21 is scheduled for Thursday, covering 144.9km from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna.
Second stage win for Vine as Vingegaard regains lead