Vuelta a España Vuelta 2025, stage 21: Alalpardo - Madrid (108 km)

[RobertCrawley]

This was 100% foreseeable. Race organizers should have used their imaginations prior to the start.

 

[pastronef]

At this point, the UCI has a pretty binary choice they need to make: no more races in Spain, or no more Sylvan Adams in the sport. However, it’s much more likely that they will continue to pretend it’s not up to them to do anything, and thus I don’t think this will be the last time we see a race cancelled in Spain for this reason. Only way I would expect them to make a call either way is if the protests spread to other countries.

now that the protests flood gates have opened, will they stop if Israel-Premiertech is not in the future races? is Israel team riding the Vuelta just one piece of the puzzle?

 

[noob]

La vuelta knew it would happen so they asked IPT to leave. They couldn't enforce it since UCI does what IOC does. So I can still not blame organizers. Everyone knew this would happen. Either we try or we don't try. That must've been the way they thought. So they tried.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Eurosport is in Quebec already

Weird, because the race is in Montreal.

 

[pastronef]

well, the new by l'EQUIPE a few days ago about the race not making it to Madrid wasn't that far fetched. the incredible thing is they didn't even get to have a podium. as a Pidcock fan I'm bummed

 

[noob]

Weird, because the race is in Montreal.

Oh sorry. The commentator talked so much about Quebec. Anyhow, I should've said it's somewhere in Canada

 

[Didinho]

When Landa is leading the Tour next year we should all unite and protest every coming stage.

 

[RedheadDane]

La vuelta knew it would happen so they asked IPT to leave. They couldn't enforce it since UCI does what IOC does. So I can still not blame organizers. Everyone knew this would happen. Either we try or we don't try. That must've been the way they thought.

Given that the protestors don't seem to know that IPT have participated in multiple races before the Vuelta, I'm not sure they'd have known - or cared - if IPT had actually left...

 

[pastronef]

La vuelta knew it would happen so they asked IPT to leave. They couldn't enforce it since UCI does what IOC does. So I can still not blame organizers. Everyone knew this would happen. Either we try or we don't try. That must've been the way they thought. So they tried.

will the same happen in France or Italy if Israel-Premiertech races next year? I don't know. I really don't know. the Palestine war and the presence of Israel team is just one part of the huge protests in Spain. it's about the Spanish people, it's about something also inside of Spain, political fights, internal protests, AND the Palestine war

 

[ice&fire]

All World Tour teams should boycott the Vuelta next year. Spanish Organization, Government and Police have been a shambles.

They should boycott all races on Spanish soil. And that includes the TDF depart.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

now that the protests flood gates have opened, will they stop if Israel-Premiertech is not in the future races? is Israel team riding the Vuelta just one piece of the puzzle?

Given that neither the Vuelta/other Spanish bike races nor any other team has Israeli backing, there would not be anything left for the pro-Palestinian protestors to protest against where Spanish cycling is concerned. Cycling races being an easy target for protests more generally is definitely an issue going forward, but the effects of that could materialise in any given country. Yes, it is possible that the country and cause will be the same, but it's hard to see anywhere near the levels of popular support that existed in this Vuelta occurring again in that context - disrupting events solely for the sake of disrupting events is generally a fringe tactic.

 

[Rou]

will the same happen in France or Italy if Israel-Premiertech races next year? I don't know. I really don't know. the Palestine was and the presence of Israel team is just one part of the huge protests in Spain. it's about the Spanish people, it's about something also inside of Spain, political fights, internal protests, AND the Palestine was

Every wildfire starts from a single spark.
There were already a small amount of protesters in France and Italy.
But now they saw what happened in Spain and we don't know how this could escalate.

 

[HashRouge]

Given that the protestors don't seem to know that IPT have participated in multiple races before the Vuelta, I'm not sure they'd have known - or cared - if IPT had actually left...

I think they do know actually. Israel have already not ridden the Basque races this year like the Clásica San Sebastián and Itzulia because they have had previous trouble with protests in the Basque Country.

 

[pastronef]

They should boycott all races on Spanish soil. And that includes the TDF depart.

we'll laugh next year in Barcelona. Festinaboy better call the gendarmes, but this time to protect the riders, not visit the teams buses

 

[RedheadDane]

I think they do know actually. Israel have already not ridden the Basque races this year like the Clásica San Sebastián and Itzulia because they have had previous trouble with protests in the Basque Country.

Huh? I was sure they rode them...

 

[pastronef]

Huh? I was sure they rode them...

no, they skipped them

 

[ice&fire]

Huh? I was sure they rode them...

They rode Catalunya

 

[jono]

Oh sorry. The commentator talked so much about Quebec. Anyhow, I should've said it's somewhere in Canada

Montreal is in Quebec, in the same way the New York is in New York!

 

[hayneplane]

At this point, the UCI has a pretty binary choice they need to make: no more races in Spain, or no more Sylvan Adams in the sport. However, it’s much more likely that they will continue to pretend it’s not up to them to do anything, and thus I don’t think this will be the last time we see a race cancelled in Spain for this reason. Only way I would expect them to make a call either way is if the protests spread to other countries.

There are no further major races in Spain yet his year so that allows some breathing space to consider things.

In many ways the UCI are lucky that the WCs are in Rwanda rather than a Western European nation where the likelihood of similar protests would be much higher at the premier international cycling event.

 

[noob]

Maybe we should sneak out of here and give @Armchair Cyclist some rest <3 We're getting too close to grapes.

 

[Red Rick]

and in the end Philipsen farms one more to my great disgust.

Vintage Red Rick moment, expecting nothing and be sorely disappointed anyway

 

[HashRouge]

Huh? I was sure they rode them...

Not this year as far as I know.

 

[Sciatic]

Oh sorry. The commentator talked so much about Quebec. Anyhow, I should've said it's somewhere in Canada

Well, you were correct, it is in Quebec . . . Province.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

They rode Catalunya

But we did not see anything like the mass protests that occurred later in the race there. And I doubt we would have seen them in Galicia or Madrid had the Basques not taken the first opportunity since September 2024 that IPT were involved in a stage/race through their region to give everyone else an example of what was possible.

 

[Pippo_San]

This goes down as the single most monumental failure in cycling to me.
Worst than the Festina affair and whatever.
[content deleted] the failure of the organization, the failure of the UCI and ultimately the failure of the riders who should've decided to boycott this *** because it makes no sense if you think this is a job and this is SPORT.

I fear this could really escalate in many other races.
Let's hope for the best.