BILBAO, Spain: The 11th stage of the Spanish Vuelta was cut short and finished without a winner because of a disruption by pro-Palestinian protesters near the finish line in the Basque Country city of Bilbao on Wednesday.
The protesters appeared to be targeting riders from the Israel Premier Tech team. Some attempted to invade the road when the riders of the Israeli team crossed in front of them, prompting organizers and security staff to rush in to try to contain them behind the security fences.
Police were called in to contain the protesters, many of whom carried Palestine flags and pro-Palestine signs.
Race officials made an announcement to the teams as the riders had about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to go in the 157.4-kilometer (98-mile) stage that also started in Bilbao.
“Due to some incidents at the finish line, we have decided to take the time at 3 kilometers before the line. We won’t have a stage winner. We will give the points for the mountain classification and the intermediate sprint, but not on the finish line,” they said.
The start of the stage also had been disrupted by protesters who forced race officials to pause the peloton for a few minutes.
The police appeared to have the crowd under control by the finish, forming a line to keep the protesters from going over the security fences, but officials decided it was safer to keep riders from reaching that point.
At the Tour de France in July, a man protesting the participation of Israel Premier Tech ran onto the course as the leaders raced for the finish line. A security guard ran out and apprehended the man. The team had previously faced protests because of its association with Israel, which has killed 63,633 Palestinians since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The war was sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023.
Vingegaard disappointed
Overall Spanish Vuelta leader Jonas Vingegaard, of team Visma-Lease a Bike, said it was disappointing not to be able to finish the stage.
“It’s a big shame, we really would have loved to win the stage,” he said, adding that he was looking forward to a strong finish by his team on the day of his son’s birthday.
Tom Pidcock, a British rider from team Q36.5 Pro Cycling, had been ahead during the final parts of the stage.
“It’s hard to describe the disappointment, to be honest,” he said. “I felt like today was my day. I had a good chance to win.”
Pidcock continued through the finish line despite the decision to cut the stage short.
Thursday’s 12th stage will take riders on a 145-kilometer (90-mile) route with mid-size mountains.
Spanish Vuelta stage cut short because of disruption by pro-Palestinian protesters near finish line
https://arab.news/4bhuk
Spanish Vuelta stage cut short because of disruption by pro-Palestinian protesters near finish line
- The protesters appeared to be targeting riders from the Israel Premier Tech team
- Some attempted to invade the road when the riders of the Israeli team crossed in front of them, prompting organizers and security staff to rush in to try to contain them behind the security fences
The sum of all fears
- After 3 years and millions spent on over 50 foreign and local players and 3 new coaches, the question fans and pundits are asking is: Where is Al-Nassr’s return on investment?
- Ronaldo’s PR war with the club and the Saudi Pro League is now being played out in public after he missed a second straight game against Al-Ittihad
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo’s famed PR prowess is in full flow as controversy surrounding his refusal to play for Al-Nassr continues. Meanwhile, his club and the Saudi Pro League are standing their ground. And across the Kingdom, and around the world, the question fans and pundits are asking is: Where is Al-Nassr’s return on investment since the Portuguese superstar joined just over three years ago?
A solitary Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023, with no major domestic or continental titles, would be — for a club of Al-Nassr’s stature — unacceptable during any period, never mind one which includes Ronaldo and a host of expensive foreign and local signings.
The club have signed over 50 players in the Ronaldo era and appointed three full-time coaches, including incumbent Jorge Jesus. The return has been scant, to say the least.
The club’s malaise on the pitch has been matched in the boardroom with a host of changes taking place during the continuing trophy drought. In 2024, Al-Nassr’s President Ibrahim Al-Muhaidib resigned due to lack of control at the club and was eventually replaced by Abdullah Al-Majid.
In January of 2025, Majid Al-Jam’an replaced Al-Nassr’s CEO at the time of Ronaldo’s arrival, Guido Fienga, whose role changed to club adviser. Following restructuring demands by Ronaldo, Al-Jam’an himself was replaced last summer with Jose Semedo. At the same time, Simao Coutinho replaced former Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro as sporting director.
Such turmoil has hardly been conducive to success and trophies, despite all the incoming signings.
The fallout from Ronaldo’s refusal to play for Al-Nassr since the last day of the winter transfer window continues to be felt almost a week on.
It is safe to say the direction of Saudi football itself has shifted dramatically since the turn of the month. With the transfer window initially not producing any fireworks, it seemed like all the focus would return to the title race between Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah as the season entered its final third.
That changed following a contract renewal dispute between Karim Benzema and Al-Ittihad, which led to the Frenchman’s departure. A swift move to Al-Nassr’s city rivals and league leaders Al-Hilal followed, leading to the dramatic fallout that caused shockwaves across the football industry.
The repercussions of Benzema’s transfer have reshaped the league’s landscape. Ronaldo, reportedly frustrated that Al-Nassr had only signed Hayder Abdulkareem from Al-Zawraa and Abdullah Al-Hamdan from Al-Hilal, withdrew from his side’s clash with Al-Riyadh on Feb. 2.
As reports emerged suggesting that Ronaldo was unhappy with the way the Public Investment Fund was managing the league’s four major clubs, global media attention turned to how the situation would unfold.
Despite the noise off the field, Al-Nassr remain just one point behind Al-Hilal in the title race with more than a third of the games still to play.
The side endured a difficult run against Al-Qadsiah, Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal, but the league remains wide open with all four sides still in contention.
While Ronaldo returned to training amid false reports of his departure from the Kingdom, he missed a second consecutive match on Feb. 6 — a 2-0 win against Benzema’s former club Al-Ittihad.
It is fair to say that the drama has been the biggest seen in Saudi football since Ronaldo joined at the end of 2022, and arguably one of the biggest ever.
It is not the first time that the 41-year-old star has leveraged his status in world football to drive his ambitions, and his grievances, to the fore. His move to Saudi had taken place following an infamous interview with international television host Piers Morgan in which he criticized his then-club Manchester United, leading to his signing for Al-Nassr.
Now, with no clarity on whether Ronaldo will feature against Al-Fateh on Feb. 14, questions surrounding his immediate future remain unanswered.
A day prior to the Al-Ittihad encounter, a Saudi Pro League spokesperson revealed in an official statement to the BBC that “no individual — however significant — determines decisions beyond their own club.”
However, an Al Arabiya source outlined there were four factors behind Ronaldo’s reported dissatisfaction.
Firstly, Al-Nassr were said to be close to signing Saud Abdulhamid, but the deal collapsed amid claims that Al-Hilal, one of the player’s former clubs, believed his return to the league should only be with them.
Secondly, the source claimed Al-Nassr did not receive the same backing as Al-Hilal during the transfer window.
Thirdly, the league leaders made four foreign signings, including Benzema, to dwarf Al-Nassr’s efforts.
The source finally alleged that Ronaldo believed Al-Nassr’s CEO and sporting director had been restricted in their ability to operate.
While many fans continue to voice their support for Ronaldo, alternative viewpoints have emerged as his absence has continued.
Sports lawyer Ahmed Al-Shikhi posted on social media that, based on the official FIFA Transfer Matching System data for 2025, Al-Nassr were the highest spending club not just in Saudi Arabia, but across Asia.
Some fans have noted that, despite the club’s heavy spending, Al-Nassr remain the only member of Saudi Arabia’s traditional “big four” not to have won a major trophy since Ronaldo’s arrival.
For his part, renowned sports commentator and former Saudi footballer, Turki Al-Awad, defended Al-Nassr and eluded that given everything Cristiano Ronaldo has offered Saudi football, "the GOAT" should be above criticism.
“Ronaldo was the first to join the Saudi project, and on that basis, he should be treated (with respect), with the issue resolved quickly. We were very happy with his arrival, and he added a lot to us,” he said recently on Fi Al Marmi, a leading sports talkshow on Al-Arabiya News Channel.
On a similar note, Piers Morgan also voiced his support for Ronaldo.
Posting on X, he wrote: “Cristiano has revolutionised Saudi football in a way nobody else could have done. He just wants a level playing field”.
The situation ultimately underscores the growing tension between individual star power and institutional governance within the Saudi Pro League.
As the title race is set to enter its decisive phase in the coming weeks — including a Riyadh derby that could prove pivotal — it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo’s absence proves a momentary protest or a sign of deeper friction that will become clearer in the coming weeks.
For now, the episode has shone a light on the fact that the Saudi Pro League’s evolution is entering a more complex phase — one in which the battle between stars and structure proves difficult to govern.
