Jonas Vingegaard has expanded his overall lead at the Vuelta, but there was no day winner. The 11th stage was canceled three kilometers before the end due to a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the finish area in Bilbao.
The most violent interventions so far caused chaos and an uncomfortable end. Because in the target area in Bilbao many people with some huge Palestine flags had gathered on the barriers and crowded on the track, the organizers did not see the safety of the drivers.
Thus, the time intervals were rated three kilometers before the finish on the stages gripping. There was no official day winner of the section with a start and finish in the Basque metropolis as well as seven mountain ratings from the 2nd and 3. Category. Security forces secured the target area with a large contingent and blocked the road in front of the spectators. The mandatory podium ceremony failed.
Again and again protests during the Spain tour
Already in the neutral phase before the sharp start, the police had to remove demonstrators from the street. At one of the climbs, activists then stepped onto the street with a large poster. “It is a big shame. We already saw what’s going on at the first crossing of the finish. But the police did a good job”said Vingegaard.
Unterbecht der La Vuelta due to Palestine demo
In the previous course of the Vuelta there had been repeated protests, some of which had caused dangerous situations. During team time trials, demonstrators had opposed the approaching team Israel Prime Minister Tech, against which the main part of the protests turned. On Tuesday there was a fall triggered by activists during the stage. There are renewed violent protests at the upcoming mountain stages in the Basque Country.
Vingegaard and Pidcock were on victory course
During the time measurement three kilometers before the finish, the Danish overall Jonas Vingegaard was at the front with the British Thomas Pidcock. Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike) expanded his lead in the fight for the red jersey, but after the stage, the Dane emphasized that he wanted to win the day for his son, who celebrated his first birthday.
On the twelfth stage on Thursday over 144.9 kilometers from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna, despite a mountain ranking of the 1st category around 20 kilometers before the finish, there are no large attacks by the favorites. It is only on Friday that the mountain arrival on the notorious Angliru will be really spectacular again – if it does not prevent the protests.