A pro-Palestinian protester caused a minor crash with 56km left on stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana – later won by Mads Pedersen with fellow Dane Jonas Vingegaard still the overall leader.
An individual clutching a Palestine flag emerged from a wooded area on the side of the road and stumbled on a grass verge before disrupting a bunched group of riders.
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The incident happened close to the town of Castroverde during the 167.8km stage from A Veiga to Monforte de Lemos.
Spain’s Javier Romo was the most affected by the fall, which impacted a small number of riders, but he was able to resume and complete the race.
Protesters waved Palestine flags en masse at the start and end of the stage while police stepped in to avoid another attempt to disrupt the race near Ribadeo.
This year’s Vuelta has been disrupted on a number of occasions by protesters and there was no winner on stage 11, ended by race organisers three kilometres before the finish line.
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Israel-Premier Tech team began racing raced in modified jerseys which did not display their team name on Saturday.
Israel’s military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 63,633 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Pro-Palestinian protesters came together with police near the Spanish city of Ribadeo during the 15th stage of the Vuelta [Getty Images]
Pedersen’s plans pay off
Lidl-Trek rider Pedersen earned his first victory of this year’s race with a blistering sprint on the home straight.
Pedersen burst past Italy’s Marco Frigo on the final stretch of what was classed as a medium mountain stage to seal victory in four hours, two minutes and 13 seconds.
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Frigo, riding for Israel-Premier Tech, the team targeted by the protests, came in third behind Orluis Aular of Venezuela.
Pedersen’s team-mates worked hard for him in the day’s large breakaway to give him his chance to win the stage.
“The boys were working so hard to make it possible,” Pedersen said.
“In the end it makes it even nicer to win when everyone is looking at us, everyone knew our plan, and still we succeed.
“When Frigo went [with] 700 to 800 metres to go it was perfect, because he provided a leadout. I was closing him slowly and at the corner it was time to open the sprint.”
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The peloton, featuring Pedersen’s compatriot Vingegaard and the other main contenders, finished 13-and-a-half minutes after the winner crossed the line.
After a rest day on Monday, the race resumes with stage 16 on Tuesday, a 167.9km with another medium mountain stretch from Poio to Castro de Herville.
Vuelta a Espana stage 15 result
1. Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek) 4hrs 2mins 13secs
2. Orluis Aular (Ven/Movistar) Same time
3. Marco Frigo (Ita/Israel Premier Tech)
4. Santiago Buitrago (Col/Bahrain Victorious)
5. Eddie Dunbar (Ire/Jayco AlUla)
6. Egan Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers)
7. Louis Vervaeke (Bel/Soudal Quick-Step)
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8. Jay Vine (Aus/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +8secs
9. Magnus Sheffield (US/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time
10. Alec Segaert (Bel/Lotto) +23secs
General classification after stage 15
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) 57hrs 35mins 33secs
2. Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +48secs
3. Tom Pidcock (GB/Q36.5 Pro Cycling) +2mins 38secs
4. Jai Hindley (Aus/Red Bull – Bora-hansgrohe) +3mins 10 secs
5. Felix Gall (Aut/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) +3mins 30secs
6. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) +4mins 21secs
7. Matthew Riccitello (USA/Israel-Premier Tech) +4mins 53secs
8. Sepp Kuss (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +5mins 46secs
9. Junior Lecerf (Bel/Soudal Quick-Step) 05mins 49secs
10. Torstein Traeen (Nor/Bahrain Victorious) +6mins 33secs
