“What took place was unacceptable – and it cannot be repeated” – But Vuelta boss Javier Guillén passes blame for protest disruption onto UCI

Vuelta a Espana director Javier Guillén has condemned the chaotic conclusion to this year’s race, describing the protest-hit finale as “unacceptable” and insisting the sport must ensure such disruption does not happen again. At the same time, Guillén sought to distance himself and his organisation from the controversial decision to allow Israel - Premier Tech to remain in the race, placing responsibility firmly with cycling’s governing body, the UCI.

The 2025 edition of the Vuelta unravelled under the shadow of repeated protests against Israel – Premier Tech, culminating in the unprecedented cancellation of the final stage last weekend. The scenes – which forced organisers to neutralise stages, adjust finishes and ultimately abandon the Madrid circuit – left the Spanish Grand Tour projecting what Guillén admitted was a “lamentable image.”

“This has been the hardest Vuelta,” Guillén said in a packed post-Grand Tour press conference. “I regret and condemn what happened on the final stage. The images speak for themselves. What took place was unacceptable, especially on the circuit. Nothing good can be drawn from it – and it cannot be repeated.”

The flashpoint came in Bilbao on stage 11, when incidents at the finish line forced the race to be neutralised inside the final three kilometres. With pressure mounting, organisers turned to the UCI to take a position on Israel – Premier Tech’s participation.

“We discussed the situation with the UCI to analyse events,” Guillén explained. “They were asked to take a position and issued a statement confirming that Israel could continue in the race. We followed their criteria, in line with the regulations. No federation has vetoed Israel. From an international perspective, no institution has banned Israeli athletes. We remained neutral – we said there was a problem, and left it to the UCI to decide. They said Israel could race, and the team did. The team itself also chose to continue.”

By emphasising the governing body’s role, Guillén was keen to underline that the decision lay outside his remit – a move that will likely fuel debate within the sport about where ultimate responsibility lies in such situations.

The Vuelta director also reflected on cycling’s wider susceptibility to disruption. The arrests of protesters at September’s Grand Prix of Montreal, he said, showed the need for vigilance ahead of future events – not least the 2026 Tour de France Grand Départ in Barcelona.

“Cycling is a vulnerable sport, but I hope there will be no domino effect,” Guillén said. “I don’t know what will happen in the future, but we will work to ensure the Vuelta goes ahead. Barcelona will host the Tour de France. After this Vuelta, institutions and the sport must take decisions. Between now and the Tour, hopefully everything will be resolved – even the conflict in Gaza.”

Guillén confirmed that there was constant dialogue with Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD) and Interior Ministry throughout the race, with security forces deployed to protect riders and teams. But he acknowledged the toll the protests took on the event’s image. “When there is a call to boycott and it is followed through, that causes damage. Having to guarantee protection was difficult,” he admitted, while clarifying that he was not directly referring to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s comments on demonstrations.

Despite the disruption, Guillén praised the collective effort of the 3,500 people who worked to keep the race on the road, along with the commitment of the teams and riders themselves. “Nobody abandoned the Vuelta because of the debates,” he said. “The teams wanted to race and never expressed otherwise. They had the right to compete, just as we had the right to organise.”

The 2025 Vuelta may be remembered less for the exploits on the bike than for the protests that engulfed it, but Guillén’s message was clear: cycling must learn from what happened – and make sure such scenes are not repeated.