Cycling at its most pure: an Esky podium in a hotel carpark.
Russ Ellis for Gruber Images, Cor Vos
The 2025 Vuelta a España will go down in history as a fraught affair, defined as much by events off the bike as by the racing. Slow-simmering disquiet about the presence of Israel-Premier Tech at the race boiled over as the race dragged on; the last week of the race was beset by increasingly disruptive pro-Palestine protests, with the final stage of the race into Madrid neutralised and then cancelled altogether. After three weeks of racing around an entire country, the Vuelta’s last gasp was a tweet: “for security reasons, stage 21 of La Vuelta has been ended early. There will be no podium ceremony.”
Vingegaard and team dismount and head into the team cars.
“No podium ceremony”? Sort of, but not really. A stage and assorted infrastructure had been set up at the Cibeles Fountain in the centre of Madrid, where crowds of thousands thronged to watch a bike race that would never pass, and that ceremony never happened, it’s true. But the moment did not go completely unmarked.
After night had fallen, at the Visma-Lease a Bike hotel, an alternative celebration was in the works.
Like what you’re reading? There’s more to this story, but you’ll have to be a member to read it. Escape Collective is 100% membership-funded, with no advertising and no affiliate links in our product reviews. Our work is only possible through your support.
This post is for paying subscribers only
Subscribe now
Already have an account? Sign in
Did we do a good job with this story?
👍Yep
👎Nope