Cyclists' union president calls for cutting short races to deter protesters

"Protesters should have the platform taken away from them; if they have no platform they won't go to a race," Hansen said to BBC Sport following the chaotic scenes that forced the cancellation of La Vuelta's final stage in Madrid.

Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the Madrid circuit in several locations during the planned finale, leading to scuffles with riders. Some competitors were reportedly pushed off their bikes during the incidents, which primarily targeted the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team.

"I'm not against protesting, but putting riders in danger is the last thing we want - some riders were hit and pushed off their bikes [in Madrid] and this is not protesting. It goes past that line," said Hansen, a former professional rider and Grand Tour stage winner.

Despite the significant costs involved in organising cycling events, Hansen maintains that cutting broadcasts short represents the only viable solution to discourage protest actions at races.

"If we had cancelled La Vuelta on a Friday and the last three days were not shot [on TV], the protesters would not have had their platform. By trying every day, we showed there was a platform," Hansen added.

The CPA president acknowledged the difficult position for race organizers but emphasized long-term thinking: "Cancelling would have shown them there's no point in coming to bike races because we turned the TV off. Yes, it's a huge deal for [Vuelta organisers] Unipublic to do something like that. But we have to make a small sacrifice today for the long-term future of cycling."

Britain's Tom Pidcock, who finished third overall at La Vuelta, expressed concern about teammates caught in the middle of the controversy. "I worry about my friends who ride for the Israel [Premier Tech] team," he told BBC Sport. "They're not riding to support Israel, they're riding because they got an opportunity to race bikes around the world."

The fallout has continued since La Vuelta, with Israel-Premier Tech having their invitation to the Giro dell'Emilia revoked and now no longer participating in Coppa Bernocchi, Tre Valli Varesine and Gran Piemonte due to threats of protests. Canadian company Premier Tech, the team's title sponsor, has indicated Israel will likely be dropped from the team name next season.

The protests were connected to Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which began following the Hamas' attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. At least 66,225 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's health ministry.