A group of protesters managed to halt the race after approximately 80 kilometers of the route during the UCI World Cycling Championships men's road race in Glasgow.
At that point, a nine-rider breakaway group had established a significant lead of seven minutes ahead of the main peloton.
As the race reached the Crow Road climb on the route from Edinburgh to Glasgow, the protesters intervened, causing the race to come to a standstill.
The disruption resulted in an ongoing delay of around 30 minutes, during which the riders were forced to dismount from their bikes and wait for further instructions regarding the race's resumption.
The specific reasons for the protest and the identity of the protesters were not immediately disclosed in the provided information.
The incident in Glasgow raises concerns about the security and organisation of major sporting events, as disruptions like this can have a significant impact on the athletes, fans, and overall competition.
Authorities and event organisers may need to reevaluate their strategies to ensure the safety and smooth conduct of such events in the future.
It was not immediately clear who the protesters were or what group they were representing. Several sporting events in Britain this year have been targeted by Just Stop Oil protesters including the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and the Ashes cricket test at Lord's.
Organisers the UCI confirmed that the race had been halted.
"Further to Police Scotland's confirmation of a protest in the Carron Valley area, which has temporarily interrupted the men's road race, we are working closely with all relevant authorities to minimise disruption to the race and also to ensure the safety of riders as our paramount concern," cycling's world governing body said in a statement.
Television pictures showed UCI president David Lappartient chatting to riders.
One of the riders in the lead group was Britain's Owain Doull. British Cycling is sponsored by oil company Shell.
(With Reuters inputs)
