After Wednesday's eleventh stage of the Tour of Spain was interrupted due to pro-Palestinian demonstrations, several voices have been raised regarding the participation of the Israel Premier Tech team, which is sponsored by the state of Israel, in the competition.
One of them belongs to Spain's Foreign Minister, who says that he would "have understanding for and support" the exclusion of the Israeli team from the competition.
We must send a message to Israel and Israeli society that Europe and Israel can only have normal relations when human rights are respected, says José Manuel Albares to the Spanish radio channel RNE.
"Dangerous precedent"
Israel Premier Tech, on the other hand, has no plans to withdraw from the competition.
"As a professional cycling team, it is our duty to continue competing in the Vuelta a España. Anything else would mean a dangerous precedent for cycling, not just for Israel-Premier Tech, but for all teams", the team wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
The cyclists in Israel-Premier Tech, however, do not feel safe during the stages.
They are afraid. They are exposed on the bikes and we do not know what can happen, says Eric Van Lancker, one of the team's sports directors.
"We are afraid"
The other sports director, Oscar Guerrero, tells the radio channel Onda Cero:
We are afraid, we are exposed to insults and all kinds of verbal attacks, he says.
During Friday's 13th stage, the stage leaders were hindered by a small number of demonstrators about a mile before the finish and lost their then three-minute lead. The Portuguese Joao Almeida then won the stage.
