Jonas Vingegaard’s long-anticipated coronation as Vuelta a España champion ended not on the streets of Madrid but on the roadside, as stage 21 was abandoned after pro-Palestinian protesters overwhelmed the final circuit in the Spanish capital.
The day began in familiar fashion, with the peloton rolling out for the ceremonial parade and teams posing for photographs. Vingegaard, clad in a black-and-red edition of Visma | Lease a Bike’s kit, rode at the head of the group alongside his teammates, all smiles for the cameras. The script should have been a steady ride into Madrid, nine laps of the city circuit, and a sprint finish. Instead, it unravelled when demonstrators, angered by the presence of Israel-Premier Tech in the race, poured onto the course.
Photo Credit: GettyWith 58km still remaining, around 20 protesters blocked the road as the peloton reached the finishing circuit. Riders were brought to a halt, first discussing with commissaires, then rolling slowly forward behind the official’s car before stopping again. Tensions escalated further as thousands more broke down barriers around the Plaza de Colón and along the Gran Vía. Spanish TV reported violent confrontations, missiles thrown at police, and running battles across central Madrid.
Race officials had anticipated trouble, cutting 5km from the stage route earlier in the day and deploying more than 2,000 police officers, the largest security presence in the city since a NATO summit three years earlier. Even so, they could not prevent the course from being swamped. With the finishing straight overrun and the podium unreachable, organisers made the unprecedented decision to abandon the stage entirely.
Photo Credit: GettyThere was no Madrid sprint, no traditional podium ceremony, no champagne. Riders were shepherded into team cars and driven away from the circuit. Vingegaard shook hands with his teammates before disappearing from the scene, his victory sealed in silence rather than in front of the Spanish crowds.
The cancellation capped a turbulent three weeks in which the Vuelta was repeatedly disrupted by political protests. Stage 11 into Bilbao and stage 16 were cut short, the Valladolid time trial was reduced in length, and the Bola del Mundo finish was altered at the last minute. Calls had mounted for Israel-Premier Tech to withdraw, and although the team changed its kit to remove the word “Israel,” the demonstrations only intensified.
Despite the chaos, the general classification stood as it had at the summit of Bola del Mundo the day before. Vingegaard, who had dominated with three stage wins, became the first Dane to win the Vuelta and added a third Grand Tour to his palmarès after back-to-back Tour de France victories in 2022 and 2023. João Almeida finished second overall, 1:16 back, while Tom Pidcock secured a landmark first Grand Tour podium in third.
Photo Credit: GettyVisma celebrated quietly, sports director Jesper Mørkøv calling it “a beautiful way to crown this Vuelta” after Vingegaard’s decisive win on stage 20. CEO Richard Plugge voiced frustration at the missed finale, saying: “It’s sad that we and the fans were denied a beautiful ending in Madrid. Sport is about connection. Athletes should never be made the victims of political debates.”
For Vingegaard, the disappointment of an abandoned stage did little to diminish the scale of his triumph. “I’m super proud of this overall win, my first Vuelta and the third Grand Tour of my career,” he said. “My stage win on Bola del Mundo gave me great satisfaction. It was a beautiful way to finish the race.”
In the end, history records him as the winner of the 2025 Vuelta a España. Yet the images from Madrid – smashed barriers, sit-ins across the finish line, and the peloton forced to abandon – ensure that this edition will be remembered as much for the protests that stopped it as for the racing that decided it.
Photo Credit: Getty2025 Vuelta a Espana Stage 21 result
Stage cancelled
2025 Vuelta a Espana GC result
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Main photo credit: Getty
