OFFICIAL: Vuelta a Espana finale cancelled - Protestors swarm Madrid's streets in the thousands
Cycling
The Vuelta a Espana peloton has no luck, and the race may not have its expected finale. Stage 21 sees the riders finally arrive to Madrid, but as soon as this happened, they were met with plenty aggressive protests that have gotten onto the route and have neutralized the race once again.
Right away entering the city a small group of protestors blocked the route partially, preventing some riders from passing and entering an altercation with an Arkéa rider who looked to go through the group.
The peloton was told to slow down to allow the riders behind to catch up with the peloton once again, but a few minutes later the riders were stopped again. TV broadcast displays crowds of hundreds, perhaps thousands in Madrid protesting the presence of Israel - Premier Tech in the race. It had been possible to see that in a section close to the finish, protestors broke through the barriers and swarmed the road, whilst in several other locations the situation was unclear.
The situation is at this moment very chaotic, but in only one video recorded by spectators in the city, it is possible to see knocked down barriers and the widespread chaos.
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STAGE CANCELLED
It has now been made official. Stage 21 has been cancelled and the riders do not get the finale in Madrid. After chaos unfolded in the streets of Madrid, the situation became completely unmanageable for the police. Thousands have invaded the road, thrown down and create blocks with barriers, and installed scenes that have never before been seen in pro cycling.
It's not clear what will happen to the riders, who have not reached the finish area. At the time being it is not possible to say if there will be podium ceremonies or any activity in the finish area, as it becomes impossible for vehicles to move through the crowds that have invaded the course. Countless videos on social media show the incredible situation that has developed.
🚨 ÚLTIMA HORA | Cientos de activistas por Palestina ocupan la calzada del recorrido en los últimos kilómetros de la última etapa de @lavuelta a la altura de Atocha
— Tiempo de Juego (@tjcope) September 14, 2025
🚔 Han tirado las vallas y la Policía intenta reducirlos
🎙️ Informa @AlbertoArauzM pic.twitter.com/ZZxdvIYLSv
🔴ÚLTIMA HORA | La Policía carga contra los manifestantes propalestinos tras irrumpir estos en el recorrido de la Vuelta a la altura de Atocha, Cibeles y Gran Vía. Sigue la última hora de la etapa https://t.co/HNDVruwZ06
— EL PAÍS (@el_pais) September 14, 2025
📹 @juanjoglar pic.twitter.com/xpEeOMDwBj
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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