Final stage of La Vuelta cycling race cancelled amid pro-Palestine crowd protests

Local authorities confirmed that over 100,000 people were involved as protestors pushed through barriers to flood the race route, despite the efforts of riot police.

Some of the riders have condemned the protests, with Intermarché-Wanty's Simone Petilli tweeting after a Stage 11 delay: “We understand that is not a good situation, but yesterday I crashed because of a protest on the road.

“Please, we are just cyclists and we are doing our job, but if it continues like this our safety is not guaranteed anymore, and we feel in danger. We just want to race! Please."

However, the activists were praised by Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, in a move that further inflamed tensions between Madrid and Jerusalem.

Discussing the race at a rally for his Socialist Workers' Party, Sanchez expressed "admiration for the Spanish people who are mobilising for just causes like Palestine".

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar tweeted: "Today [Sanchez] encouraged protesters to take to the streets.

"The pro-Palestinian mob heard his incitement — and blew up the ‘La Vuelta’ bicycle race.”

“Thus was cancelled a sporting event that had always been a source of pride for Spain. Sanchez and his government are a disgrace to Spain."

Sanchez' comments also faced condemnation within Spain.

Madrid's mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida Navasqüés, said: "(It's) violence that the prime minister is directly responsible for due to his statements today in the morning instigating the protests.

"Today is the saddest day since I became mayor of this great city."

It comes after Spain implemented a raft of measures targeting Israel, including a ban on importing goods from the West Bank and imposing sanctions on two ministers.

Madrid subsequently recalled its ambassador to Jerusalem after the new policies were met with claims of antisemitism from Netanyahu and his cabinet.

Sanchez also appeared to publicly lament the fact that Spain does not have nuclear weapons, and is therefore unable to stop the "genocide" in Gaza - remarks that Netanyahu labelled a "genocidal threat".