Politics arrives on the roads of the Vuelta a España 2025. A group of ProPal activists slowed down the Israel Premier Tech race by occupying the roadway with a banner and Palestinian flags. Fortunately, no rider fell, but some were forced to dismount and the team inevitably saw its performance compromised.
The intervention of motorcycle agents from the Civil Guard quickly resolved the situation.
The incident is set in the context of the political controversy surrounding the Israeli team's presence in the Spanish race. This week, United Left (IU) presented a motion in Congress asking the government to suggest to the Vuelta organizers to exclude the team while precautionary measures issued by the International Court of Justice regarding Gaza are in effect.
Around 8 PM, the team issued a statement: Israel Premier Tech respects the right and freedom of speech of everyone, which includes the right to peaceful protest. But we absolutely condemn the actions of the protesters at stage 5 of the Vuelta: not only did it compromise the safety of our riders and race personnel, but also of the protesters themselves. The team continues to work with race organizers and top authorities to ensure our safety on the Vuelta roads and all races, to ensure that no protest can compromise our safety or our right to race.
