"No one should have to put up with being treated like an object" - Serious controversy emerges from La Vuelta guest
Cycling
The 2026 Vuelta a España has begun this Saturday in Monaco, and the first major controversy of the develop developed over a non-competitive matter. One of the race's guests, Erola Jons, has been under heavy criticism over a clip recorded with Tadej Pogacar.
Vuelta a España guest causes major controversy
The first stage of the race began away from Spain, with the World Champion coming out of the opening day with the red jersey after winning close to home in Monaco. Afterwards, he was in the backstage area for the podium ceremonies and media duties.
Amidst this, he came in contact with Erola Jons, an influencer with 3.2 million followers on Instagram that was granted access to the backstage area, where she was also given a microphone by the race organizers to create content.
In a clip shared on social media, Jons was close to Tadej Pogacar and appeared to use the expression 'Pogachita' to call the attention of the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider.
After Pogacar walked towards her, she asked the question 'why do you hyperventilate everytime you see me?' The question caught the red jersey off guard, who was stunned in response.
A lack of respect towards riders and journalists alike
The clip gathered a lot of traction, but for all negative reasons. All over social media, criticism flooded over what was interpreted as a large lack of respect for the rider and the race.
But this criticism didn't only remain within the fans of the sport, but journalists themselves - present in the race, or not. Spanish journalist Laura Meseguer, on Instagram, wrote a comment that severely criticized the actions of Jons and also the decision to have her in the race in that role.
"Many women have spent years fighting to expand our space in a male-dominated sport, so that we are treated with respect and have the same opportunities as everyone else," Meseguer wrote "It is a serious mistake to hire someone with absolutely no knowledge of the sport, whose content will be based on this series of sexist comments that we women have been trying to escape from for decades!!!"
"It is a lack of respect towards us, towards the female professionals working here and, above all, towards the cyclists. No one should have to put up with being treated like an object, neither women nor men."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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