Is there place for protest in cycling? It's a question currently blazing through the world of cycling, with the final stage of the Vuelta a España cancelled due to pro-Palestine protests that dogged the race from its outset. Their protests were mainly aimed at the inclusion of Israel Premier-Tech in the race, and at times put the whole race into doubt.
According to many of the riders, cycling should be separate from politics - the activists maintaining a right to protest as long as it's nowhere near a bike. But, as Patrick Fletcher wrote in a feature from the 10 July 2025 issue of Cycling Weekly, bike races have long been the arena for protests. Subscribe to the magazine here.
