How can the Vuelta move forward now? Statements from Plugge, the CPA President, and a Vuelta director hinting at Israel-Premier Tech exit

“It’s deeply regrettable that such a decision was necessary to guarantee the safety of the riders,” said the CEO of the Dutch team. “Everyone has the right to protest, but it should never endanger others. As a team, we do our job by giving everything we have each day and fighting for victory.”

“We expect the police and race organizers to do their jobs to ensure the riders’ safety and guarantee a fair race. Once again, we urge all spectators to do everything possible to keep our riders safe,” Plugge emphasized.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Jonas Vingegaard, Victor Campenaerts, and sports director Jesper Mørkøv already shared their thoughts at the team bus. “It’s my son’s birthday today, he just turned one. So I really wanted to win for him, and we worked all day for that,” Vingegaard said, clearly disappointed. “The fact that we didn’t get that chance is a real shame. I personally would have loved to win the stage for him, but it is what it is.”

“This might be the last time we’ve had a stage winner in the Vuelta. So it’ll be interesting to see what happens in the coming days. I hope we can still race, because this is the wrong place for people to try and make a statement. What do they expect from us as riders? I can’t do anything,” said the Dane.

It’s still unclear how the Vuelta will deal with the growing wave of protests in the coming days. Before the start of stage 11, a meeting was already held with the CPA, the riders’ union. Rumors swirled that Israel-Premier Tech, the team being targeted by the pro-Palestinian demonstrators, might be asked to withdraw if another incident occurred.

“The discussion had nothing to do with whether those riders should go home. The peloton understands that the riders from Israel-Premier Tech are not directly involved,” said CPA president Adam Hansen. “They feel sorry for them, and sending them home would set a bad precedent. But again, this isn’t a decision that should be left up to the riders.”

According to Kiko García, technical director of the Vuelta, the team in question (Israel–Premier Tech, ed.) could ultimately take matters into its own hands. “We knew this might happen, but there’s nothing more we can do. We haven’t directly asked the UCI to exclude Israel, but we did inform them well in advance about this situation. We are bound by the rules. Who can expel Maccabi Tel Aviv from the EuroLeague? Madrid? No, only an international federation can.”

“I spoke with the team manager (of Israel–Premier Tech, ed.) late into the night yesterday to assess whether they themselves felt the pressure was increasing. I won’t say what their stance is, but there is only one solution. We can’t force it, but temporarily, and with everyone’s safety as the priority, this solution, as we understand it, would be this: that the Israeli team comes to the realization that their presence here does not contribute to the safety of everyone involved,” García hinted to AS, alluding to a possible voluntary withdrawal.