Movistar’s Javier Romo Injured After Fall During Stage 11 of Vuelta a España Amid Protests
Bilbao,Spain – September 3,2024 – movistar rider Javier Romo completed Stage 11 of the Vuelta a España despite suffering a painful fall approximately 3km from the finish line in Bilbao. The incident occurred against a backdrop of ongoing pro-Palestine protests that led organizers to neutralize the stage and cancel the finale due to safety concerns.
Teammate Fernando Canal reported that Romo “went down” after what appeared to be a loss of control on his bike, sustaining a meaningful blow. “He’s had a big blow, hopefully it’s just a big scrape, although to tell the truth, he’s in a lot of pain,” Canal said, adding he had refrained from speaking to Romo immediately after the crash to allow him to recover.
While Canal did not directly witness the cause of the fall, he indicated it was likely related to the disruptive environment created by the protests. Romo was able to finish the stage despite his injuries.
The protests, which began on Stage 11, continued on Friday’s stage to Angliru, briefly delaying the breakaway with a demonstration near the foot of the climb. In response to the escalating safety concerns, Israel-Premier Tech announced on Saturday they would remove the word ‘Israel’ from their jerseys for the remaining eight stages of the Vuelta, though the team name itself will remain unchanged.
Movistar team officials stated doctors will assess Romo’s condition during Monday’s rest day,emphasizing the importance of his full recovery.”We need him at 100%,” Canal stated.
