Vuelta a España Final Stage Cancelled After Pro-Palestine Protests in Madrid

The final stage of the 2025 Vuelta a España cycling race was abandoned in Madrid due to large pro-Palestinian protests that blocked the course and disrupted the event. Despite the deployment of over 1,500 National Police and Guardia Civil officers, demonstrators occupied the road, knocked down barriers, and clashed with police, leading to the cancellation of the stage and the podium ceremony. The protests targeted the Israel-Premier Tech team, which remained in the race despite calls for its removal, and had caused disruption in multiple earlier stages. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez publicly praised the protests, framing them as a defense of human rights, which added political weight to the demonstrations. Organizers and the Union Cycliste Internationale condemned the disruptions, emphasizing the political neutrality of sport, but security measures were insufficient to prevent the unrest. The winner, Jonas Vingegaard, was confirmed without a traditional podium ceremony in an unprecedented and contentious finish to the race.