For three hours, he watched his competitors try to do better than him, installed on the hot seatthe provisional leader’s chair. Left in 17e Position (out of 153) of the last time trial of the 2025 edition of the Vuelta, the Italian Filippo Ganna (ineos grenadiers) finally won, Thursday, September 11, in Valladollid (Spain). The double world champion in the discipline has concentrated his efforts over the last four kilometers, which he traveled at 63 kilometers/hour. If the long -awaited battle for the leading red jersey took place on the Spanish roads, it was once again amputated by the Propalentinian demonstrations, which upset the Tour of Spain for more than a week.
Thursday, in the morning, the organizers of the Vuelta announced that they have half the route, completely flat, of the time trial and strengthened the safety device by deploying 800 police officers by the road. Initially planned for 27.2 kilometers, the route was shortened at 12.2 kilometers, leaving little hopes for the favorites who have bet on this particular exercise to try to make up for their delay.
“I did my best, it’s not an effort that suits me so well, just a shame that there were not 27 kilometers, but that’s how it isthus regretted Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), third in the stage, at the microphone of Eurosport. We can’t do much, but it’s the same for everyone. »» Dolphin in the general classification, the Portuguese aims to catch up with Jonas Vingaard (Visma-lease a Bike), less roller than him, but he saw the Danish sign the ninth time of the stage, and keep his red jersey.
Visibly relieved, Jonas Vingegaard also spoke: “I don’t think that [cet exercice court] Promotes runners who weigh 60 kilos like me, it promotes those who have more weight ”, Related the double winner of the Tour de France, satisfied with his performance – he retains forty seconds in three stages from the finish in Madrid. Could it have done better for 27 kilometers? “I don’t knowreplied the red jersey. It would still have been flat, and maybe more to the advantage of Joao Almeida ”.
The tension around the test has not disappeared
Despite the precautions of the organizers – who have already been forced to modify the arrival of two stages during the day – and the deployment of the police in number, the tension around the test has not disappeared. Two demonstrators were arrested for trying to hinder the passage of a runner from the Israel-Prime Tech team, spanning the safety barriers along the route. As since the arrival of the Vuelta on Spanish soil, many Propalestinian demonstrators had gathered to denounce the presence of this training, funded by the Israeli-Canadian billionaire Sylvan Adams, close to the Netanyahu government.
The demonstrators intend to denounce the war waged by the Hebrew State in the Gaza Strip and focus their dispute over the Israeli team, from which they claim exclusion. Faced with the many movements – some putting the competitors of the Vuelta in danger – the latter had withdrawn the mention « Israel » From his jersey, Saturday September 6, but refuses to give in to the injunctions to withdraw from the competition.
The Minister of Education and Sports, and spokesperson for the Spanish government, Pilar Alegria, had suggested the day before, on the radio of Cadena Ser, to apply to the Israeli teams the same treatment as to Russian and Belarusian teams since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, suggesting that Israel-Prime Tech should not participate in the Vuelta. “” Skills are the UCI [Union cycliste internationale] and the decision should be shared by the IOC [Comité international olympique]since it is an Olympic sport. Faced with the situation we are currently experiencing, such gravity, we must take a position and make a decision “, She added.
These demonstrations arise in a context of great tension between Israel and Spain, one of the most critical votes in Europe on the situation in Gaza. The left government of Pedro Sanchez recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024 and has just announced new measures intended “To put an end to the genocide in Gaza”.
