Pedersen wins Vuelta stage 15 as protests keep impacting race
Mads Pedersen sprinted to Vuelta stage 15 victory on Sunday as pro-Palestinian protestors continued making an impact on the race.
Spanish cyclist Javier Romo fell amid a disturbance caused by a protestor who slipped on the side of the road, with the rider then appearing to run after the person before continuing riding and catching back up to the chase group.
Protestors waved Palestine flags en masse at the start and end of the stage.
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Two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard retains the red jersey as general classification leader, maintaining his 48 second lead on Joao Almeida.
Danish Lidl–Trek rider Pedersen scored his first victory of this year's race with a blistering burst past Marco Frigo on the home straight of the medium mountains stage, running 167.8 kilometres from A Veiga to Monforte de Lemos.
Frigo, riding for Israel-Premier Tech, the team targeted by the protests, came in third behind Orluis Aular.
💚 Mads Pedersen wanted that win in #LaVuelta25, and he finally made it happen: Relive the stage in 1'
🚴♂️ Mads Pedersen por fin consigue su ansiada etapa tras una fantástica fuga. Revive lo mejor de la etapa 1️⃣5️⃣ en 1'#LaVuelta25 pic.twitter.com/AJlfhZiDz4 — La Vuelta (@lavuelta) September 7, 2025
Pedersen's teammates pulled hard for him in the day's large breakaway to give him the chance to triumph.
"It makes the victory even sweeter," said Pedersen.
"They worked so hard to make it possible, it makes it even nicer to win when everyone is looking at us and everyone knew our plan."
Hear from Mads Pedersen!
🇬🇧: "The team worked the whole day, five guys in the first group. And yeah, when the two guys went away on the second KOM, they were really strong and got a lot of time. So yeah, in the end it makes it even nicer to win when everyone is looking at us,… pic.twitter.com/5BZWJIKDEa — La Vuelta (@lavuelta) September 7, 2025
The stage win bolsters Pedersen's hopes of keeping the green jersey for the most points, currently leading Vingegaard by 98.
The peloton, featuring Vingegaard and the other main general classification contenders finished 13-and-a-half minutes after Pedersen crossed the line.
After a rest day on Monday the race resumes with stage 16 on Tuesday, running 167.9km from Poio to Castro de Herville.
STAGE 15 RESULTS
1. Mads Pedersen (DEN) Lidl - Trek 4:02:13
2. Orluis Aular (VEN) Movistar Team "
3. Marco Frigo (ITA) Israel - Premier Tech "
4. Santiago Buitrago (COL) Bahrain Victorious "
5. Eddie Dunbar (IRL) Team Jayco AlUla "
6. Egan Bernal (COL) INEOS Grenadiers "
7. Louis Vervaeke (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step "
8. Jay Vine (AUS) UAE Team Emirates - XRG +8
9. Magnus Sheffield (USA) INEOS Grenadiers "
10. Alec Segaert (BEL) Lotto +23
11. Ivo Oliveira (POR) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "
12. Jake Stewart (GBR) Israel - Premier Tech "
13. Edward Planckaert (BEL) Alpecin - Deceuninck "
14. Lukas Nerurkar (GBR) EF Education - EasyPost "
15. Huub Artz (NED) Intermarché - Wanty "
16. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL) INEOS Grenadiers "
17. Gianmarco Garofoli (ITA) Soudal Quick-Step "
18. Kelland O'Brien (AUS) Team Jayco AlUla "
19. Carlos Canal (ESP) Movistar Team "
20. Lars Craps (BEL) Lotto "
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Visma - Lease a Bike 57:35:33
2. João Almeida (POR) UAE Team Emirates - XRG +48
3. Tom Pidcock (GBR) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team +2:38
4. Jai Hindley (AUS) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe +3:10
5. Felix Gall (AUT) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team +3:30
6. Giulio Pellizzari (ITA) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe +4:21
7. Matthew Riccitello (USA) Israel - Premier Tech +4:53
8. Sepp Kuss (USA) Team Visma - Lease a Bike +5:46
9. Junior Lecerf (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step +5:49
10. Torstein Træen (NOR) Bahrain Victorious +6:33
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