Madrid (AFP) - Pro-Palestinian protestors invading the Vuelta a Espana course to force the final stage of the cycling Grand Tour to be abandoned was “absolutely unacceptable”, organisers said on Monday.

“What happened yesterday was absolutely unacceptable, I regret the image it gave (to the world) and it should not be repeated,” said Javier Guillen, director of the race.

Around 100,000 protestors were present during the 21st and final stage of the race which was due to finish with several loops in Madrid, but was cut short around 60 kilometres before the finish in the Spanish capital.

Protestors pushed over barriers and stood in the road where cyclists were due to pass in various places along the route, and chanted “Palestine won this Vuelta” after the stage was scrapped.

“I don’t think we can take anything good out of what happened yesterday,” Guillen said.

“It’s fine for people to take advantage of the Vuelta to make their statement, but we also demand respect for the race.”

Various stages of the Vuelta had been shortened because of protests, largely against the private Israel-Premier Tech team’s participation.

The protests had also led to moments of tension in the three-week Grand Tour, including crashes, with some cyclists saying they felt unsafe.

“Yesterday was a sad, lamentable day, they were very tough moments, the images speak for themselves,” continued Guillen.

“The boycott of the race caused us a lot of damage, that’s what hurt us the most, (but) we were able to hold the 21 stages.”

Dane Jonas Vingegaard won the race for the first time in his career, adding to two Tour de France triumphs at Grand Tour level.

The 2026 Tour de France is due to start next year in Barcelona, leading to questions about whether that will be possible if people are still protesting.

“I don’t want to speculate about the possibility (of it being changed),” said Guillen.

“Barcelona will have the Tour de France… but it’s obvious that since this Vuelta, international organisations will have to take decisions and cycling also has to work on that, proposing things…

“I hope it’s all sorted (by the Tour de France) and the conflict in Gaza has finished, not just for sport but for humanitarian reasons.”

Israel launched its Gaza offensive in October 2023 in retaliation for an unprecedented cross-border attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Israel’s bombardment has killed at least 64,800 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the United Nations says are reliable.