'It’s very bad for cycling that the protesters managed to get what they wanted' – Vuelta a España ends with no final stage and a podium ceremony in a car park

The Vuelta a España ended in a mild farce on Sunday, as stage 21 of the Spanish Grand Tour was cancelled amid overwhelming pro-Palestine protests in Madrid.

It meant not only no winner of stage 21, the second time there was no stage result at this year's race after Bilbao, but no official podium presentation too. There was, however, a makeshift podium presentation later.

The Vuelta was dogged by protest throughout, with Israel-Premier Tech's involvement the main point of contention, while Israel's invasion of Gaza continues; Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has previously called Israel's actions genocide. More than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's invasion of Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, in response to the Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attacks, in which more than 1,200 people died.

The protests came to a head in Madrid, with thousands of activists disrupting the race after invading the circuit in the Spanish capital, despite extra police resources being called on in an attempt to secure the viability of the final stage.

"It’s a pity that such a moment of eternity was taken from us," race winner Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) said after the stage was abandoned. "I was looking forward to celebrating this overall win with my team and the fans. Everyone has the right to protest, but it’s a shame that it has to happen here and prevents us from finishing the race."

His team boss, Richard Plugge, stressed that the riders must be protected; there were multiple incidents of protestors putting themselves and athletes in danger, with high-speed near misses and a couple of crashes.

"Nowadays, sport is increasingly being used as a platform to address social issues," Plugge said. “We must realise that sport is essentially about connection. It can build bridges and foster mutual understanding. But the participants must be protected: they cannot become victims of this societal debate.

"That debate must always remain outside the athletes’ arena. Athletes should be free to fight their battles on the field of play, in our case, on the road. Otherwise, the very essence of sport as a unifying force is at risk."

Ineos Grenadiers rider Michał Kwiatkowski warned that the protests had set a dangerous precedent, after multiple stages were shortened, changed, or cancelled due to direct action. Cycling is a vulnerable sport when it comes to interruption – not every metre of road can be policed.

"If the UCI and the responsible bodies couldn’t make the right decisions early enough, then long-term it’s very bad for cycling that the protesters managed to get what they wanted," he wrote on social media. "You can’t just pretend nothing is happening."

"From now on, it’s clear for everyone that a cycling race can be used as an effective stage for protests and next time it will only get worse, because someone allowed it to happen and looked the other way. It’s a shame for the fans who came here to watch a great event. Personally, I would have preferred to know in advance that the race was cancelled rather than being led to believe everything was going to be fine."

There had been calls for Israel-Premier Tech to leave the race. The team continued, but in a changed kit with the word 'Israel' removed.

Protestors had support from Spain's prime minister. "Today the Vuelta a España finishes and we show our absolute respect and recognition for the athletes," Sánchez told a crowd in Málaga on Sunday. “But [we also show] our admiration for the Spanish people who mobilise for just causes such as Palestine. Today Spain shines as an example and as a source of pride. It’s [giving] an example to the international community by taking a step forward in defence of human rights."

While Israel-Premier Tech finished the race, and their young American Matthew Riccitello finished fifth overall and best young rider, the protests clearly impacted the race, and might influence the future branding of the team, and how big cycling events are planned in the future. The 2026 Tour de France begins in Barcelona, a race Israel-Premier Tech will aim to start.

Away from the protests, the 2025 race ended with no stage winner, but there was an impromptu podium ceremony in a car park, with Vingegaard crowned next to second-placed João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and third-placed Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) on Visma-Lease a Bike cool boxes.