Race interference: Protests, Sabotage, and Assaults

[joe_papp]

Yet another stage (13) of the Vuelta a España disrupted by an illegal and potentially deadly road incursion from anti-social 'protesters.'

These political agitators are exploiting cycling’s open, public-access format for their own selfish agenda. This is what happens when authorities and organizers fail to decisively suppress such outrageous and criminal behavior the first time it occurs.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Yet another stage (13) of the Vuelta a España disrupted by an illegal and potentially deadly road incursion from anti-social 'protesters.'

These political agitators are exploiting cycling’s open, public-access format for their own selfish agenda. This is what happens when authorities and organizers fail to decisively suppress such outrageous and criminal behavior the first time it occurs.

Potentially deadly? Did I miss something?

 

[Cookster15]

Potentially deadly? Did I miss something?

Protests disrupt Vuelta a España at foot of Angliru on stage 13

Breakaway stopped as activists block road again at Spanish Grand Tour

www.cyclingweekly.com

It follows a week of incidents at the race, with Wednesday's stage 11 shortened in Bilbao, with no win awarded. The day before, a rider crashed after protestors ran onto the road, with police unable to hold them back, while on stage five a group blocked Israel-Premier Tech's team time trial.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

So I ride at 20 kph and Fans holding up flags (I didn‘t even See the Palestinian flags on them, only Antifa ones) and blocking the road are life-threatening?

 

[jono]

I think most of the anti-protest arguments in the name of rider safety would fall apart if the protesters attempted something akin to those who disrupted the Glasgow worlds in 2023. No rider would be remotely put in danger, but I think you'd find the same people reacting in exactly the same way to what we've seen so far.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

So I ride at 20 kph and Fans holding up flags (I didn‘t even See the Palestinian flags on them, only Antifa ones) and blocking the road are life-threatening?

All it needs is just somebody landing badly. A crash always has a slight chance to end a career or even a life.
Look at Bjorg, look at the turkish kid that fell in Iran, look at Baroncini who was in a coma when he broke some vertebrae, Privitera, Manuel Sanroma etc. etc.

Erik Dekker, Wilfried Nelissen, Malori are riders that never recovered from a crash.

I had a friend who one day slipped on the pavement, broke his neck and died before reaching the hospital.

We've been screaming to make cycling more safe after every crash (Fuller, Opi-Omi etc.) but spectators on the road leading to crashes we should somehow accept...

 

[Ilmaestro99]

All it needs is just somebody landing badly. A crash always has a slight chance to end a career or even a life.
Look at Bjorg, look at the turkish kid that fell in Iran, look at Baroncini who was in a coma when he broke some vertebrae, Privitera, Manuel Sanroma etc. etc.

Erik Dekker, Wilfried Nelissen, Malori are riders that never recovered from a crash.

I understand what you are saying, and I never would want to see a rider crash, especially not with fan interference. But such a crash is extremely unlikely to happen in such a steep section of the angliru, when the riders are going slowly and the race motors/cars have plenty of time to react, along with the police. Today protest was not dangerous.

The climb was full of crazy fans with Portoguese, Spanish, basque, asturian, Dutch flags, cheering the riders and getting in the way.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Ok, but we weren‘t even close to a crash today because of that. Let‘s say Bob Jungels‘s brain malfunctioned today (doesn‘t happen) and he rides forwards through the policemen and protesters, Hits a flag and ruptures his inner organs due to some unrealistic rib break. That‘s way more unlikely than slipping on the pavement, breaking your neck and dying.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Both actually.

Objectively and from an outside perspective do you reckon that is a good or a bad thing?

P.S. Now that both sides are represented i seen a lot of views expressed from all parties involved, obviously we can't link or discuss them here, still, discussion started and solutions will be needed, whatever they will be, ignorance simply doesn't work any more.

 

[houtdffan]

One thing I will say about the TDF vs the Vuelta

Gouvenou handles protestors far more efficiently, and has stopped the race before when protestors have disrupted the race

 

[CyclistAbi]

One thing I will say about the TDF vs the Vuelta

Gouvenou handles protestors far more efficiently, and has stopped the race before when protestors have disrupted the race

I wouldn't be so sure going forward, that is if nothing changes till Tour 2026, expect further escalations, this is just the new reality. Only this time it will be hard to ignore it, seeing it on TV day in day out.

 

[the delgados]

Yet another stage (13) of the Vuelta a España disrupted by an illegal and potentially deadly road incursion from anti-social 'protesters.'

These political agitators are exploiting cycling’s open, public-access format for their own selfish agenda. This is what happens when authorities and organizers fail to decisively suppress such outrageous and criminal behavior the first time it occurs.

Is this an attempt at a joke?
If not, let's get back to Netserk's question -- i.e. What are you going to do about it?
If you are actually being serious, please take into account the amount of subjective opinions you've thrown out there before issuing your sentence.
What say you, Joe Papp?

 

[pastronef]

today it was messy at 7.7 km from the real start. lot of protesters, all team cars had difficulties to pass, shouts, banging on the cars

 

[scribers]

Is this an attempt at a joke?
If not, let's get back to Netserk's question -- i.e. What are you going to do about it?
If you are actually being serious, please take into account the amount of subjective opinions you've thrown out there before issuing your sentence.
What say you, Joe Papp?

He said suppression. Which implies force. The only real options are force or ideas. Choose carefully

 

[Hugh Januss]

He said suppression. Which implies force. The only real options are force or ideas. Choose carefully

Could try thoughts and prayers. TM

 

[red_flanders]

I think the question of “what can be done about it” is a good one. I’m not an expert in crowd control, and probably most of us aren’t, so it’s hard to engage with it.

Cycling is quite simply more vulnerable for obvious reasons.whether there are real solutions out there to minimize the danger to riders and the diminishing of the event, I don’t know. I’ve enjoyed seeing some protesters get tackled with enthusiasm at finish lines, but that’s one or two clowns, not a mob.

My inclination is to see the police take a more aggressive and proactive stance. When a group is seen gathering with obvious intent like at the finish the other day, I wonder if they couldn’t have done more. But protestor tactics will change as police tactics change.

Instead of putting the onus on the team to excuse themselves, I’d like to see the race organization put out a strong statement on cooperation with police and offer threats of serious consequences for anyone interfering with the race. Weakness breeds aggression—a tale as old as time. Asking the team to leave is weak AF.

I would think as police and organizers try and balance resources, finish lines and key points along the route like climbs would get the focus. I guess that seems obvious, but like I said I’m no expert in crowd control.

I do feel like other races and nations might handle things more effectively.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Generally speaking i feel that (a rise in) sportswashing is fuelling the rise of protests in sport such as cycling. So basically this thread has two main problems. First one is it tries to present one side as an isolated case in where it neglects to address or even mention the other side in any meaningful way. Almost like saying this part, protesting, is made up and lets remove it in some way and at the same time failing to acknowledge protests are not the cause but a symptom. The second problem is anything relevant to it can't really be discussed in any meaningful way.

So in the end it's rather pointless thread. All we can basically say is yeah, there is a rise of protests and that they are here to stay. That i guess is that. We better get used to it and parties involved should learn to deal with it. Knowing that if you have sportswashin on one side not much you can do to prevent protests on the other side. Both i guess became integral part of modern sport. In its core is hence about representation and the side that is resulting to sportswashing basically has no means to prevent the other side protesting, that times are gone. You used to get away with it but in this day and age protestors will call you out on it. Furthermore, if actual cyclists do ever want to achieve better safety in pro peloton, by now it's rather clear nobody is taking them seriously and until i guess they start protesting, until then 0 will get done, that is a fact. So here we are.

 

[aphronesis]

Would not heightened police presence alter, implicitly, the conditions of cycling. Why should police be needed to protect cyclists?

 

[CyclistAbi]

Yeah, if some are thinking on how police with batons will stop protesting, good luck. You will be as efficient with such suggestions as UCI currently is, regarding improving safety in pro peloton. That is not even worth mentioning.

 

[aphronesis]

Yeah and cyclists can brake and maneuver.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Yeah and cyclists can brake and maneuver.

I fear that yes, as organisers have limited options and UCI is notorious for doing nothing, for example to allow the organiser to remove the safety risk and to de-escalate. So yeah in the end cyclists are the ones that will have the least protection and will be forced to ride in high risk environment. On the other hand things are escalating and i guess even UCI can't ignore this one any more. Teams can do more too, to de-escalate in terms of them not becoming a high risk factor in the first place. So all in all and up to a point protestors will get what they want, anything else would be naive to expect.

 

[aphronesis]

Police presence in France may be significant, protestors irrelevant in Italy and mauled in the Classics. I guess we’ll see.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Another thing to consider is what image would excessive police presence and imaging or even worse baton(ing) give to cycling. Due to mass crashes, frequent injuries and even deaths, such development would even further push cycling image as a mainstream sport to pure trash.

 

[red_flanders]

First one is it tries to present one side as an isolated case in where it neglects to address or even mention the other side in any meaningful way. Almost like saying this part, protesting, is made up and lets remove it in some way and at the same time failing to acknowledge protests are not the cause but a symptom.

This is so bizarre. Is there a “side” which wants races to be interrupted and cyclists put in danger? What is the other “side” which isn’t being mentioned in a “meaningful way”? Fans of stages with no winners? Fans of injury to cyclists?

The reason no one is acknowledging that protests aren’t the cause but a symptom is that it’s so obvious as to be pointless to say, and more tot he point, immediately gets into the politics, which are out of bounds. Obviously.

You sure have a lot of posts in this thread which you find pointless.

 

[the delgados]

I think the question of “what can be done about it” is a good one. I’m not an expert in crowd control, and probably most of us aren’t, so it’s hard to engage with it.

Cycling is quite simply more vulnerable for obvious reasons.whether there are real solutions out there to minimize the danger to riders and the diminishing of the event, I don’t know. I’ve enjoyed seeing some protesters get tackled with enthusiasm at finish lines, but that’s one or two clowns, not a mob.

My inclination is to see the police take a more aggressive and proactive stance. When a group is seen gathering with obvious intent like at the finish the other day, I wonder if they couldn’t have done more. But protestor tactics will change as police tactics change.

Instead of putting the onus on the team to excuse themselves, I’d like to see the race organization put out a strong statement on cooperation with police and offer threats of serious consequences for anyone interfering with the race. Weakness breeds aggression—a tale as old as time. Asking the team to leave is weak AF.

I would think as police and organizers try and balance resources, finish lines and key points along the route like climbs would get the focus. I guess that seems obvious, but like I said I’m no expert in crowd control.

I do feel like other races and nations might handle things more effectively.

With due respect, you keep missing the point. Maybe it's due to the fact we're not allowed to talk about the elephant in the room. I don't know.
Reason why the police don't take a more "proactive" stance against protestors is it would violate fundamental human rights in a democratic society.
Your assertion of weakness betrays your fundamental point that you essentially believe these protests should not exist.
That is called fascism.
It would be nice if representatives of the team in question did the right thing and excuse themselves from the race. But if they don't, organizers should do it for them.
That's my answer to the OP's valid question.