"I respect protesters – Seeing Palestinian flags on the roadside doesn’t bother me" – But Marc Madiot urges demonstrators to show more respect to the riders

Groupama - FDJ boss Marc Madiot has called for greater respect towards riders in the wake of the protests that disrupted this year’s Vuelta a Espana, arguing that while demonstrations have their place, they should not come at the expense of the sport itself.

The 64-year-old Frenchman, speaking to Cyclism’Actu, acknowledged the visibility cycling offers to campaigners given the sport’s open-road nature, but stressed that blocking races is unfair to those competing.

“Cycling is very exposed because it takes place on public roads. I respect protesters, whatever their aims, but people must also respect the riders’ profession,” Madiot said. “You can protest without blocking a race. Seeing Palestinian flags on the roadside doesn’t bother me, but it mustn’t become a means of permanent disruption. Riders shouldn’t have to endure that. Let’s respect each other.”

Madiot’s comments come after repeated interruptions at the Vuelta, including stage stoppages in Madrid and across the Basque Country, which reignited debate around how the UCI, organisers, and local authorities should respond. Several riders, including Michal Kwiatkowski, openly criticised the governing body for what they perceived as inadequate security measures. Madiot, however, struck a more measured tone. “Everyone has their opinion, but I prefer to think about how to reconcile freedom of expression with respect for the riders’ work,” he added.

Despite the disruption, Madiot praised how riders and teams handled the chaos, particularly the improvised podium ceremony on the streets of Madrid after the official protocol was cancelled.

“I found it refreshing,” he said. “The riders and teams showed a good attitude towards the situation. It was a small message: there was a disruption, but we’re capable of carrying on with the race. An improvised protocol, but one that made sense.”

Looking back at his own team’s race, Madiot highlighted both positives and frustrations. Groupama - FDJ came away from the Vuelta with a stage victory, time in the leader’s jersey, and encouraging performances from the younger riders Brieuc Rolland and Thibaud Gruel.

“There are reasons to be satisfied: a stage win, a leader’s jersey, strong performances from our young riders,” Madiot said. “We regret Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet’s crash on the very first day, which handicapped us a lot in the general classification. The downside is David Gaudu, who didn’t deliver in the second half of the race. But overall, the team functioned well. David has shown that with consistency, he can beat the very best – so we’ll build on that going forward.”

Madiot confirmed that Guillaume Martin has already resumed training after injury, underlining what a loss he was to the team’s mountain ambitions. As for Gaudu, he urged his leader to reset during the off-season. “His season has been stop–start,” he admitted. “It’s urgent for him to restart on clear, healthy foundations during the winter. His 2026 season starts now: he must recondition himself mentally and physically to perform next year.”