Vuelta cut short by protesters; Vingegaard wins

MADRID -- Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted the last signifier of the Spanish Vuelta and forced organizers to chopped the contention abbreviated connected Sunday, capping a run of disruptions to the Grand Tour cycling event.

Visma-Lease a Bike rider Jonas Vingegaard was confirmed arsenic the wide victor of the three-week race.

There were clashes betwixt constabulary and protesters adjacent the way finale successful Madrid. Some protesters carrying anti-Israel banners partially blocked the roadworthy and forced riders to stop.

There was nary signifier victor and the podium ceremonial was called disconnected due to the fact that of information concerns. Organizers said the last signifier "ended aboriginal to guarantee the information of the riders."

"Due to the protests successful Madrid, the contention ended earlier than planned and determination volition beryllium nary podium ceremony," contention officials said.

There were astir 50 kilometers (31 miles) near connected the 21st signifier that was a mostly ceremonial thrust into Madrid.

Vingegaard had extended his wide pb implicit João Almeida connected Saturday with a pb of 1 minute, 16 seconds implicit Almeida.

It was Vingegaard's 3rd Grand Tour title, adding to his brace of Tour de France titles won successful 2022 and 2023.

The protesters threw barriers onto the roadworthy connected a finishing circuit successful the Spanish capital. Riders had been expected to bash 9 laps, but respective 100 protesters stayed connected the roadworthy wherever the contention was expected to walk by portion anti-Israel banners were besides hung from adjacent buildings.

The contention had resumed concisely Sunday aft riders were primitively told by contention organizers to halt due to the fact that of the protests, but they yet had to halt again arsenic authorities and organizers discussed the situation.

Police escorted the riders arsenic they near the track.

Police successful riot cogwheel had confronted protesters astatine antithetic points on the route. More than 1,500 constabulary officers had been deployed up of the past stage.

There had been nary large incidents arsenic the riders acceptable disconnected connected the 103.6-kilometer (64.3-mile) last signifier starting successful adjacent Alalpardo.

The Grand Tour lawsuit turned into a diplomatic battleground and was mostly disrupted by protesters against the beingness of Israeli-owned squad Premier Tech, which earlier successful the contention removed the squad sanction from its uniforms.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez joined Ireland and Norway successful recognizing a Palestinian authorities past year, and Spain became the archetypal European state to inquire a U.N. tribunal for support to articulation South Africa's lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide.

Seven of the past 11 days of racing were either chopped abbreviated oregon interrupted, with much than 20 radical detained by police. During 1 stage, a protester carrying a Palestine emblem tried to tally connected to the roadworthy up of riders, causing 2 of them to crash. They continued but 1 of them had to yet propulsion retired of the race.

The way of the last signifier was chopped abbreviated by 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) implicit postulation concerns.

Previous stages were altered due to the fact that of information concerns implicit the protests.