“I’ve never experienced so much hatred” – Richard Plugge claims Vuelta protests were not about a cause: “It was purely about destruction”

Richard Plugge has launched a stinging assessment of the pro-Palestinian protests that repeatedly disrupted this year’s Vuelta a Espana, arguing that what began as a political demonstration quickly descended into violence that went beyond the boundaries of sport.

Speaking during the celebrations for Jonas Vingegaard earlier this week, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike general manager said he had been shocked by both the scale and intensity of the actions, which forced four stages — including the finale into Madrid — to be shortened or cancelled altogether.

“I’ve never experienced so much hatred,” Plugge said in comments collected by Wielerflits. “There was no longer any attempt to draw attention to a cause. It was purely about destruction. Riders were actually attacked. At one point, someone was dragged off their motorbike. For me, the UCI should have stepped in much earlier to give the race more support.”

The 2025 edition of the Spanish Grand Tour has already gone down as one of the most turbulent editions of any cycling race in modern sporting history. Demonstrators repeatedly targeted the race, blocking roads and unfurling Palestinian flags, which forced organisers into drastic rerouting measures. The controversial climax saw the traditional stage into the capital scrapped altogether, leaving a muted and unprecedented conclusion to the three-week event.

While many within the sport initially expressed sympathy for the protesters’ right to make their voices heard, the increasingly aggressive tactics — from riders being jostled to vehicles attacked — hardened opinion across the peloton. Plugge’s comments now underline a growing consensus among teams that the demonstrations crossed a line.

Despite the chaos, Plugge insisted he remains confident that cycling itself will not suffer lasting damage. “This was almost something that went beyond the sport. Something happened in Spain. Normally, demonstrations are held with respect for cycling, and I expect that will be the case again in the last races of the season.”

The protests, and the Spanish government’s high-profile defence of them, have sparked wider political and sporting debate, with several federations and teams calling for clearer protocols from the UCI in case of future disruptions.

For Plugge, however, the immediate concern was the safety of his riders. In his eyes, the Vuelta’s integrity was undermined not by political expression but by sheer hostility on the roadside — a situation that left the sport’s stakeholders shaken and demanding answers.