Javier Romo abandons Vuelta two days after crashing amid pro-Palestine protest
The Movistar rider was a faller on Sunday. Although he started stage 16, he abandoned shortly after the midpoint. At the start in Poio, he dismissed a rumour that he had a physical altercation with the protestor involved in his crash.
Javier Romo has abandoned the Vuelta a España two days after he crashed in an incident indirectly caused by a human rights activist who ran towards the road during stage 15.
The Vuelta has been marked by repeated demonstrations in protest at Israel-Premier Tech’s participation in the race amid Israel’s ongoing invasion of Gaza.
Romo crashed heavily 60km from the finish of stage 15 when a pro-Palestine protestor ran down a grass bank towards the road but fell before he reached it. A police officer ran across the road in an attempt to apprehend the protestor, and Romo crashed amid the confusion.
The Movistar rider remounted and completed the stage, coming in 14 minutes down. After Monday’s rest day, Romo opted to start stage 16 in Galicia, but he abandoned with over 90km remaining. He had placed second to Juan Ayuso on stage 12 in Los Corrales de Buelna.
At the start in Poio, Romo had revisited his crash, acknowledging that he had feared a more lasting injury as the incident unfolded.
“My first reaction when I was thrown at 50kph was the same as anyone’s. I thought a much bigger tragedy could have happened,” Romo said, according to AS. “Luckily, I only have bruises, not minor ones, but I was able to grab the second bike and return to the peloton to do my job.
“At the end of the day, I'm doing my job. I think we're putting on a sporting spectacle, which is what should be shown. We’re riders who train every day, we lead a Spartan lifestyle, and we’re an example for young people. And yet, something else is being shown.”
On Sunday evening, Marca reported that Romo had sought to confront the demonstrator, though the newspaper noted that the situation “didn’t escalate.” At the start on Tuesday, Romo was asked to address a rumour that he had a physical altercation with the protestor.
“I don’t know where that came from,” Romo said, according to Marca. “If there's a video, show it to me. I didn't hit anyone.”
The Vuelta has seen repeated demonstrations against Israel-Premier Tech’s presence in the race. Stage 11 in Bilbao was halted 3km before the finish due to a demonstration on the finishing straight, while Simone Petilli was brought down in a crash on stage 10 when protestors spilt into the road.
Protestors also briefly blocked Israel-Premier Tech during the team time trial on stage 5, and the EFE news agency has reported that 450 police officers will be deployed along the route of the Valladolid time trial on Thursday as a precaution.
Red jersey Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) stated on Sunday that he could understand that protestors were attempting to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Over 64,000 people, the vast majority of them civilians, have been killed since Israel invaded Gaza almost two years ago in response to the October 7 terrorist attacks, which killed more than 700 people.
“To be honest, I think we all feel with what’s happening there, and I think all the people who are demonstrating, they are just searching for a way to get to the news,” Vingegaard said.
“I think they think it doesn’t get enough attention, and they’re really desperate, and that’s why they do it here, I guess. Of course it’s unfortunate that it has to happen here in the Vuelta. But I think they are desperate, and they want to have more attention.”
