‘I felt safe’ – Heightened security sees shortened Vuelta a España time trial stage run normally with no major incidents

“I felt safe, there was no moment when I felt in danger,” was how Jonas Vingegaard summed up his experiences in stage 18 of the Vuelta a España, where heightened security and a considerably shortened time trial distance saw pro-Palestine protests take place, but without any major incidents.

More than 450 police were drafted in for the shortened time trial through the streets of Valladolid. The 12.2-kilometre route was almost completely barricaded off in anticipation of possible repeat disturbances, similar to those at the ends of stages 11 and 16, where protesters had caused the race to be partly suspended.