Ruta del Sol opening stage cancelled due to farmer protests

The opening stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta del Sol has been cancelled due to farmer protests along the route in the south of Spain.

According to a report by Spanish radio station COPE and a number of teams who were on their way to the start, the stage was cancelled less than an hour before the rollout after organisers were unable to create an alternative route.

It is unclear if the remaining stages of the race will go ahead.

“There’s a blockade after forty kilometres of racing and the police have also been ordered to work elsewhere,” Lotto-Dstny directeur sportif Dirk Demol said, according to Het Nieuwsblad.

“There were also no alternative routes. We are now trying to schedule a training ride, but we also don't know where we can pass.”

Race organisers later confirmed the cancellation of the stage in a statement.

"The first stage of the Vuelta a Andalucía is suspended due to the lack of Civil Guard troops due to farmers' demonstrations," the race organisers said. "The race direction will soon decide the steps to take."

The Vuelta a Andalucía Ruta del Sol is the second race of the season affected by farmer protests across Europe. The opening stage of the Etoile de Bessèges was cancelled in the south of France.

According to COPE, the protests could disrupt the rest of the race, which is due to run until Sunday. COPE suggests that a decision will be made on Wednesday afternoon after a series of meetings.

Stage 1 of the race was set to be a 162.3km hilly test between Almuñécar and Cádiar, while four more stages lie ahead later this week. The start list is headed up by major names including Damiano Caruso, Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), Juan Ayuso, Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates), Lorenzo Fortunato (Astana Qazaqstan), Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), and Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Dstny)