"I find it incredible that something like this becomes news": Aleix Espargaró responds to viral cycling video controversy
Cycling
Former MotoGP star Aleix Espargaró became a trending topic on social media this Thursday after a video circulated showing him riding a bicycle up a mountain pass and overtaking a car in an area with reduced visibility.
The images generated an intense debate among fans and internet users. The episode also caused discomfort within Lidl-Trek, as the Spanish rider is an ambassador for the team and appears in the video wearing the kit of the German squad. Furthermore, Espargaró had already had previous contact with the team after competing in two professional races during the 2025 season.
A viral video and a quick response
Given the impact the video reached, Espargaró himself decided to respond to the criticism through his Instagram account. The Spaniard defended his actions and expressed his surprise at the dimension the issue had taken.
"Do I really have to give explanations for overtaking on a broken line, with clear visibility, a car that was going at 30 km/h? I find it incredible that something like this becomes news and ends up in all the media... hahaha. Anyway, we keep going," the rider wrote on social media.
Aleix Espargaró racing for Lidl-Trek at the 2025 Tour of Austria
Beyond his career in motorcycling, Espargaró has always shown a great passion for cycling. The Catalan lives in Andorra, where he trains regularly and shares routes with professional cyclists.
In 2025, he fulfilled one of his personal goals by making his debut in the professional cycling peloton at the age of 36. That year, he participated in the Tour of Austria, although he had to abandon the race in the third stage after suffering a crash.
He also took the start at the Circuito de Getxo, where he finished in 57th position, almost seven minutes behind the winner, the Mexican rider from UAE Team Emirates - XRG, Isaac del Toro.
After that experience on the bicycle, Espargaró decided in 2026 to leave the cycling peloton and focus once again on the racing circuits. He currently works as a test rider for Honda, thus resuming his career within professional motorcycling.
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling for
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- People see what they want to. I am actually the opposite of your accusation, probably more of a rebel than most of you who don’t get the big picture. The difference is, I don’t go moaning publicly about the consequences of my transgressions, I understand the need for rules and I take my OWN responsibility when deciding to ignore or break them or doing so involuntarily. I will also not hesitate to state my case or argue vehemently when relevant, sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse but that’s the price to pay for principles and having character.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- That may be but that was unknown to others and nothing says that’s the whole truth. Again, don’t try to misinterpret, it is a call and technically it is correct. Besides, even if there is a valid reason, that does not disqualify the ruling or punishment as far as the rules have been developed. I don’t think they’re as far as in football where for handball there is a distinction (in some ways and specific cases) between intentional or not. And football can be just as harsh and people live with it, eg the offside rule, also judged to within tiny fractions but often wrong or ignored. It’s the nature of every collective organisation and sometimes I wonder if our rebellion against it isn’t seated in the feelings we carry from the injustices we’ve felt personally, like being flashed driving 1km/h too fast when we are explained limits are just a security measure but we are absolutely certain not to have endangered anyone with our transgression. The problem is, nobody has better solutions and no 2 people have the same interpretation of where a limit should be.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Because for you deviated implies the other rider MUST have been made to fall and fail to finish ??? I don’t know if you ride a bike but next time someone carves you up or drives dangerously close, just hold back from those feelings of changing something, reporting or filming or even complaining. Everyone will just say, hey you’re still here undamaged, doesn’t seem like anyone did anything.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
Loading
1 Comments