Almeida takes first Vuelta stage win amid protests

Joao Almeida claimed his first individual Vuelta a Espana stage win at Angliru

Portugal's Joao Almeida outpaced overall leader Jonas Vingegaard to win the gruelling 13th stage of the Vuelta a Espana - as the race was again disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.

Almeida of UAE Team Emirates-XRG took over the lead from team-mate Felix Grossschartner with less than six kilometres to go to the summit finish at the Alto de Angliru.

The Portuguese and Vingegaard, the top two in the general classification, then broke away from Jai Hindley and 2023 winner Sepp Kuss with three kilometres to the summit before the duo battled it out for the stage win up the steep ascent.

Earning bonus seconds with his first stage win at the Vuelta, Almeida closed the gap to Visma-Lease a Bike's Vingegaard to 46 seconds in the overall rankings.

"This is a special one, I still don't believe it," Almeida said.

"I just put my pace from the bottom and I just did my bit the best I could. Jonas was always on my wheel. We were both on the limit and I was waiting for his attack anytime.

"I think this is the hardest climb in the world, it's crazy, I'm really sore."

Great Britain's Tom Pidcock remains third overall despite finishing seventh in the stage, but he is now two minutes 18 seconds off two-time Tour de France winner Vingegaard.

Australia's Hindley, who took third in the 202.7km ride from Cabezon de la Sal to Alto de L'Angliru, sits fourth in the general classification.

Protesters waving Palestinian flags disrupted the stage before the climb to Angliru, affecting lead riders Jefferson Cepeda, Bob Jungels, and Nico Vinokurov.

The stoppage lasted a few seconds before security intervened.

"We were slowed down a bit by a demonstration during the race, but that didn't change anything - we knew we would be caught by the best," said Vinokurov, who held a three-minute lead over the peloton before the disruption.

Race organisers were forced to end stage 11 without a winner on Wednesday because of protests.

Meanwhile, the Asturias government boycotted Friday's stage while urging Israel-Premier Tech to pull out of the race.

Stage 13 finished in Asturias, with two more stages on Saturday and Sunday also passing through the principality.

Gimena Llamedo, vice-president of the principality, said "it would be best for everyone" if Israel-Premier Tech withdrew from this year's Vuelta.

"We don't have the capacity to prevent your participation," Llamedo said.

"Not even the government of Spain has it. But what we can and want to do is express our disagreement.

"We must not be impassive or indifferent to what is happening in Gaza. It is a matter of conscience, of mere humanity," he added, urging the protesters not to endanger the safety of the cyclists or disrupt the race.

After stage 11, the team, owned by Israeli-Canadian businessman Sylvan Adams, said pulling out of the race would "set a dangerous precedent" in cycling.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to social media later on Friday to praise Israel-Premier Tech for continuing in the race.

"Great job to Sylvan (Adams) and Israel's cycling team for not giving in to hate and intimidation. You make Israel proud!" he posted on X.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 64,231 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

The ministry also says 370 people have so far died during the war as a result of malnutrition and starvation, including three over the past 24 hours.

Israel-Premier Tech has ruled out pulling out of the race

Vuelta a Espana stage 13 result

1. Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 4hrs 54mins 15secs

2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) same time

3. Jai Hindley (Aus/Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) +28secs

4. Sepp Kuss (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +30secs

5. Felix Gall (Aut/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) +52secs

6. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita/Red Bull - Bora-hansgrohe) +1min 11secs

7. Tom Pidcock (GB/Q 36.5 Pro Cycling Team) +1min 16secs

8. Matthew Riccitello (USA/Israel-Premier Tech) same time

9. Giulio Ciccone (Ita/Lidl-Trek) +2mins 15secs

10. Abel Balderstone (Spa/Caja Rural–Seguros RGA) +3mins 6secs

General classification after stage 13

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) 49hrs 30mins 54secs

2. Joao Almeida (Por/UAE Team Emirates) +46secs

3. Tom Pidcock (GB/Q36.5 Pro Cycling) +2mins 18secs

4. Jai Hindley (Aus/Red Bull - Bora-hansgrohe) +3mins

5. Felix Gall (Aut/Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) +3mins 15secs

6. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) +4mins 1sec

7. Matthew Riccitello (USA/Israel-Premier Tech) +4mins 33secs

8. Giulio Ciccone (Ita/Lidl-Trek) +4mins 54secs

9. Torstein Traeen (Nor/Bahrain Victorious) +5mins 21secs

10. Sepp Kuss (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +5 mins 26secs