Vuelta a Espana organisers deny rumours Madrid finale could be cancelled

Vuelta organizers have moved quickly to deny speculation that the final stage in Madrid could be cancelled due to ongoing pro-Palestinian protests. On Sunday, L’Équipe reported that stage 21 was at risk, with Madrid expected to draw larger demonstrations than previous stages. But Vuelta director Javier Guillén has firmly rejected that possibility, while addressing the dangers posed by recent protests that have been ongoing during the Spanish grand tour.

"We're already seeing the consequences: they cause bodily harm to the riders. This not only endangers the safety of the cyclists themselves, but also that of the public and the person carrying out the action. That's why we must call for this to not happen again," Guillén said.

He stressed that while the right to peaceful expression is respected, direct interference with the race cannot be tolerated. “We see what's happening, and of course we reaffirm everyone's right to peaceful expression during the Vuelta. We cannot tolerate these kinds of invasions or other actions that jeopardize the safety of the riders, who simply want to race and do so under completely normal circumstances. We are making every effort to guarantee this.”

The Vuelta has already seen multiple disruptions in its second week, from the neutralisation of stage 11 to Sunday’s incident that brought down Javier Romo. Guillén underlined that the organisers are working hand in hand with authorities to prevent further escalations and harm to the riders. “We are of course working with the state law enforcement agencies to achieve this, to whom we always express our gratitude for all the help they provide us, which is solely aimed at protecting the riders and ensuring they can ride normally.”

Finally, Guillén directly dismissed suggestions of a cancelled finale, and his message is clear. “In addition, we would like to clarify that the Vuelta organization denies the reports suggesting a possible cancellation of stage 21.”