Overview

• The finish area in central Bilbao filled with a large pro‑Palestinian demonstration targeting the Israel‑Premier Tech team, making passage for riders impossible.
• Organizers stopped the stage at the 3‑kilometer mark and ruled there would be no stage winner.
• The race jury awarded mountain and intermediate sprint points but removed general‑classification points for the finish on security grounds.
• Team representatives met with race officials before the start to discuss safety measures in light of the ongoing protests.
• Vuelta technical director Kiko García said the situation would ease only if Israel‑Premier Tech recognized that its presence does not facilitate overall safety, following earlier incidents in Figueres and attempts to halt the peloton near Lumbier.