Israel - Premier Tech's presence has been causing outrage for many throughout the year who use cycling's TV broadcast to oppose and protest it. Often times peacefully, but now for the second time at this Vuelta a Espana, they have taken to try and block roads. A disaster was narrowly avoided this afternoon, without Israel - Premier Tech riders even being involved.
After the successful road blocking on stage 5 against the Israeli team, it was made clear the scale of the protests that were to take place throughout the racing in Spain. Groups of pro-Palestine protestors have made their presence felt throughout the past few days and this was no exception on stage 10, finishing high up in the Pyrenees by the French border. However passing through one of the many towns, with 76 kilometers to go, police was forced to intervene as several protestors ran on to the road against the incoming riders, nearly causing crashes on several occasions.
Whilst the grand majority does not commit such acts, a select few spectators commit to try and disrupt the race, placing the riders - and themselves - under severe danger of crashes of collisions.
In the video seen below, there were no riders from the Israeli team involved in an attack that looked to gain time in the peloton, and several riders had to steer away from the protestors to avoid disaster - with security forces also acting quickly to prevent such an outcome.
UPDATE
Spectator-recorded footage, from one of the protestors themselves, reveals that the race disruption did actually lead to tangible consequences in the peloton. But once again, to a rider that had nothing to do with Israel - Premier Tech. Intermarché - Wanty's Simone Petilli crashed because of the movements in the peloton to avoid the protestors, as seen in the video below:
Read also
🇵🇸| La Vuelta Euskal Herrian barrena dabil gaur eta bihar, @IsraelPremTech talde sionistaren presentziaren aurkako protesten erdian. Begira zer gertatu den Irunberrin.
— Malcolm iXa 🍉 (@ideiazabaldub) September 2, 2025
GENOZIDAK EZ DIRA ONGI ETORRIAK EUSKAL HERRIAN! #LaVuelta25 #StopGazaGenocideNOW pic.twitter.com/rimAvHPRTo
Un nuevo grupo de activistas pro Palestina están a punto de provocar una desgracia.#LaVuelta25 pic.twitter.com/1fz53mrGOw
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) September 2, 2025
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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