The end of the Vuelta a Madrid is at risk due to pro-Palestinian protests.

BarcelonaWill the Vuelta a España reach its destination? A growing number of voices are expressing doubts about the Spanish race's ability to meet its schedule, with its final finish in Madrid this coming Sunday, due to the growing number of pro-Palestinian protesters organized against the presence of the Israel Premier-Tech team. This Thursday's stage, a 27.2 km individual time trial in Valladolid, was cut to a 12-kilometer route "with the aim of providing greater protection for the event," according to the organizers. As it is a time trial, the goal is to protect the Israeli team's riders with a shorter route featuring fences. The organizers had this stage marked in red, as well as the last two stages in the Community of Madrid. Calls for demonstrations have already been received from various organizations, and the government will deploy more than a thousand police officers to ensure security. The government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, has called for "responsibility" from Madrid's political leaders for "not inflaming the atmosphere." However, Podemos has called on people to actively boycott the presence of a team belonging to a businessman close to the Netanyahu government.

Following Tuesday's incidents, when protesters who blocked the road with a tree forced organizers to abandon the final eight kilometers of the stage between Poio and Mos/Castro de Herville, debates among riders continue to grow. This Wednesday, representatives from all the teams met and voted in favor of stopping the race if similar situations arise. A decision the cyclists made after consulting with their union, the CPA. "I think I'm a bit on the other side of the fence on this point. I would love to ride the entire stage, but it's true that as cyclists, we haven't united for many years. If the majority says we'll do it this way, I'm fine with it," said race leader Jonas Vingegaard, from Denmark. Wednesday's stage was able to be completed relatively normally, but so far in the race, two stages have not finished where they should have, in Bilbao and Galicia. And the team time trial in the Empordà region ended with arrests. Yesterday, National Court Judge Santiago Pedraz opened proceedings against the instigators of the boycott of the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team following a complaint from the association Action and Communication on the Middle East for alleged hate crimes, violations of road safety, injuries, and disorder.

Some cyclists admit that they've been trying to lobby internally to see if the Israel-Premier Tech team would withdraw or be expelled, without success. "Everyone knows it would be solved if they weren't there," says a source from the pilot's team who wishes to remain anonymous. There is concern among the riders, as there have been dangerous incidents, such as the presence of thumbtacks on the road. "It's a shame. If you do that at the top of a mountain, you can get a flat tire on the descent and have fatal consequences," said Dane Mads Pedersen. "The Israel team riders ride in the middle of the group, to feel protected. The rest of us aren't safe, because you're afraid that at any moment someone will appear on the road or throw objects," says the same anonymous source.

Javier Guillén, race director, continues to maintain that nothing will change and is convinced that the Vuelta will be able to reach Madrid: "The main message I want to give is that we will continue to do the Vuelta and we will remain on the road. It is a very tough, very intense edition and one that has generated an extraordinary debate that we did not want to participate in. Everyone must comply because stages cannot be cut short, they cannot be blocked, blocking cyclists is illegal because it is defined in the Penal Code and the Sports Law," he said.

The official position of the Vuelta is that the Israel-Premier Tech team earned the right to participate thanks to its sporting merits. And that it is not up to them to expel an Israeli team if the International Cycling Union (UCI) does not take a position either. In the past, the UCI has expelled Russian teams. In the case of the Israel-Premier Tech match, the protests arose especially after the connection between team owner Sylvan Adams and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became known. "What's happening is terrible, and of course what we all want is peace. Then each of us has our own areas where we can develop. We want to defend our sport, our careers, and that's why we want to continue working," Guillen comments when asked about the war in Gaza. This week the team debuted new jerseys without the word Israel to provide greater security for their fans during the race, but Sylvan Adams' remarks against the Basques, recalling that ETA was on good terms with Palestinian groups, have added fuel to the fire.

So far, no sports organization has sanctioned Israeli sports, as was the case with Russia. However, the Davis Cup tennis match between Israel and Canada will be played behind closed doors. And the men's national soccer team must play its home matches in Hungary, where its players clashed with the Italians this week after losing 4-5.