Faced with recurrent pro-Palestinian demonstrations on the road, the runners deplore themselves “in danger”

Protesters led to the delay in the fictitious departure of the 11th stage of the Vuelta on Wednesday. Already the day before, the race had been marked by the intrusion of pro-Palestinian activists on the road in the middle of the runners.

Omnipresent Palestinian flags by the roads, the bus of Israel-Prime tech copiously whistled wherever he passes, and activists who block the peloton … Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have intensified in recent days on the Vuelta in Spain. Passing through the Basque Country on Wednesday, September 3, a territory recognized for its support for Palestine, the peloton was arrested in the fictitious departure by demonstrators whose banner demanded the boycott of Israel.

“We felt a way to protest more and more virulent as the daysunderlined the French runner Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek) at the microphone of Eurosport on Wednesday morning. We would like everything to happen for us, it's dangerous enough for us and for people by the side of the road. Since last night we have discussed a lot to find out what attitude to adopt in the face of this, we would like to be united together to decide an action if it becomes dangerous for us. Within the team, we all agree that if it became too dangerous, we would like to neutralize the stage “.

Representatives of each team have gathered with the organization before departure in Bilbao on Wednesday noon, to discuss it. The runners are notably marked by the fall, the day before, of the Italian runner Simone Petilli (Intermarché-Wanty), caused by demonstrators, who crossed the road when the peloton, launched at high speed, passed. “I understand that the situation is not good, but yesterday I fell because of a demonstration on the road. Please, we are just cycling runners who do our job, and if it continues like that, our security is no longer guaranteed. We feel in danger. We just want to run! Please”he insisted on social networks.

“We fully recognize the right of everyone to demonstrate. But we ask that it is done safely. We are focused here on our sport, not on politics. I call you with respect not to put ourselves in danger or yourself”reacted the Belgian runner Louis Vervaeke of the Sudal Quick-Step team. The president of the runner union, Adam Hansen, recognized him “The right to demonstrate peacefully”but added that “actions endangering athletes are unacceptable “.

On the fifth stage, already, during the team time trial, the runners of Israel-Prime Tech had been interrupted by demonstrators. The cycling training then published a statement sentence “The dangerous acts of demonstrators (…) who have not only compromised the safety of our runners, racing staff, but also theirs”.

The director of the Vuelta, Javier Guillen, had indicated that the organizers would file a complaint with the police, qualifying this demonstration as“Act of violence”. A denunciation rejected by the Minister of Spanish Youth, Sira Rego, who had judged “Absolutely unacceptable” to qualify as “violent” a “Pacific protest” against a team supported by a state accused of “Systematic violence” In the Gaza Strip.