"Riders asked if we had space in our team - They couldn't go home at risk of losing their jobs" - Israel - Premier Tech riders want out after Vuelta chaos claims peloton rival

When Louis Vervaeke rolled into Madrid with Soudal - Quick-Step at the end of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, he should have been savouring the relief of three gruelling weeks in the saddle. Instead, he and his colleagues were left reflecting on one of the most surreal and unsettling Grand Tours in recent memory — a race that was hijacked time and again by pro-Palestinian demonstrations that frequently crossed the line into outright danger.

Speaking to Sporza Daily after the ceremonial conclusion of the race in Madrid was cancelled over safety concerns, the Belgian domestique laid bare the atmosphere inside the peloton. From the outside, it may have looked like another Spanish three-weeker framed by colourful roadside protests, but from the inside, riders felt increasingly trapped in the middle of a political storm.

“There were places where they threw thumbtacks — that goes too far. And team directors told me people were even jumping from bridges with ropes to stop the cars. Not everything was caught on camera, but it was spectacular — and not in a good way,” Vervaeke explained.

The turning point came on stage 11 to Bilbao. Up until then, Vervaeke recalls, the bunch had managed to shrug off the atmosphere. But in the Basque city the mood shifted dramatically. “That first passage of the finish was an eye-opener. You shouldn’t say it like this, but it felt almost like wild animals behind the barriers, desperate to break out,” he said.

From that moment, the anxiety never really left. Riders faced the constant threat of disruption, unsure if the next stretch of road would bring more projectiles, more demonstrators spilling onto the tarmac, or yet another hold-up in a race already fraying at the edges.

The demonstrations carried an extra sting for Israel - Premier Tech, whose kit and flag made them a direct target. Vervaeke empathised: “This wasn’t their choice. They wear a jersey that today is enormously loaded. They were suffering, just wanting the Vuelta to be done. Some even asked whether we had space in our team next year. They felt they couldn’t go home because they’re under contract — they risk losing their jobs. That was really sad to see.”

For the wider bunch, the fear was simple: being forced to stop at speed. “They don’t realise how dangerous it is to stop a rider at 40 or 50 kilometres per hour. We just wanted to race, not be dragged into politics. But we were in danger, and by Madrid it was no longer sustainable.”

The finale in Spain’s capital was raced under extraordinary police presence. Riders entered what Vervaeke called a “safe zone”, cordoned off from the huge crowds. For him personally, that was enough to remove the worst fears. “I never felt unsafe in Madrid,” he admitted — but the damage had already been done.

Across the peloton and within team staff, the sense was that the Vuelta had slipped out of the sport’s control. Even Team Visma | Lease a Bike, celebrating Jonas Vingegaard’s overall victory, admitted the atmosphere had soured the moment. Champagne was missed, and riders were left shaken rather than jubilant.

The chaos has sparked debate about whether race organisers could have acted differently, drawing comparisons with how Belgian races have previously managed protests through coordination between government, police and campaign groups. The contrast with Spain was stark, leaving many to conclude that this year’s Vuelta was unlike anything the sport has witnessed in decades. For Vervaeke, the bottom line was simple: “We were in danger. It felt like we were pulled into a political conflict that had nothing to do with us. That can’t be the intention.”