‘I felt safe’ – Heightened security sees shortened Vuelta a España time trial stage run normally with no major incidents

“I felt safe, there was no moment when I felt in danger,” was how Jonas Vingegaard summed up his experiences in stage 18 of the Vuelta a España, where heightened security and a considerably shortened time trial distance saw pro-Palestine protests take place, but without any major incidents.

More than 450 police were drafted in for the shortened time trial through the streets of Valladolid. The 12.2-kilometre route was almost completely barricaded off in anticipation of possible repeat disturbances, similar to those at the ends of stages 11 and 16, where protesters had caused the race to be partly suspended.

Overall contender João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was one of the riders who perhaps suffered the most from the time trial being shortened, given he managed to gain 10 seconds on Vingegaard in such a short course. Team manager Joxean Fernández Matxin recognised that Almeida had been put at a disadvantage, but told El País that “Everything to do with safety is good. They are looking for the common good.”

Israel-Premier Tech had tomatoes and paint thrown at race vehicles overnight, El País reported, but after a special police escort guided the team convoy from their hotel to the time trial location to prepare for the race, there were no further direct incidents.

Asked if he had found it harder to focus because of the shorter stage length and the changes, podium contender Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) concurred with Beloki that he simply tried to block it all out.

“I don’t pay attention because I’m not involved, I’m not in the riders group” – of team representatives for the race – “Damien [Howsen, teammate] does all that,” Pidcock said. “I keep focused on what’s important.”

If there were changes to the route and so on, he said, he would just adapt to it afterwards.

After a lull in the disruption both on Wednesday and Thursday’s stages, things are expected to become more intense again as the Vuelta heads into its final three stages. Protest groups have published the route and estimated times that Friday’s flat run from Rueda to Guijuelo will reach various small towns, while Saturday and Sunday will see a considerably boosted police presence once again.

Around 550 police are expected to be present on the final mountain stage to Bola del Mundo, more than four times the usual total of 132. Then in Madrid on Sunday, over 1,100 law enforcement officials – the biggest security operation in the capital since Spain hosted a NATO summit meeting in 2022 – will be present to try and ensure the race can finish as normal.

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