‘It’s one of the best moments of my career’: Vuelta champ Vingegaard moved by last-minute ceremony after protests forced the cancelation of final stage and winner’s podium.
It was Tom Pidcock’s mom who came up with the idea to have a secret podium for the riders to celebrate. (Photo: (Photo: Filippo Barcatta/UAE Team Emirates-XRG))
Updated September 17, 2025 05:56PM
Jonas Vingegaard says the defining moment of his 2025 Back to Spain triumph didn’t happen on the road, but in a hotel parking lot, thanks to Tom Pidcock’s mother.
The crowning scene in the Dane’s overall victory was supposed to be in the heart of Madrid in front of thousands of cheering fans, but mass protests forced organizers to cancel the final stage and podium ceremony.
Instead, riders and staff hastily threw together their own podium of sorts, made of coolers, a Vuelta TV backdrop, and some chilled bottles of champagne.
“Winning the Vuelta is very special. With or without a celebration in Madrid,” Vingegaard said. “When I heard the news that there was no ceremony, I was very disappointed that the moment of that celebration was taken away from me.
“But actually, this way, on a cooler, was even more beautiful,” he told Cycling flash during a media moment at Visma’s service course. “It was a much more intimate moment, much more meaningful than I anticipated when I heard the idea. It’s one of the best moments of my career.”
Also read: How the North Americans made history at the Vuelta
It was one of cycling’s most bizarre but touching podium ceremonies for riders who weathered unprecedented political protests that jolted the three-week Spanish grand tour.
Video clips captured riders, staffers, family members and race officials sharing the intimate moment after a harrowing Vuelta rocked by ever-increasing protests.
‘We’re going to honor our heroes’
Madrid was swarmed by protesters on Sunday, and race officials had no choice but to cancel not only the final stage but also the post-race podium ceremony in Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles.
Not wanting to end on such a downer, the offbeat idea came from Pidcock’s mother, who was in town supporting her son after his breakthrough third-place overall with Q36.5 Pro Cycling.
“The idea came really last minute. It came from Tom Pidcock’s mother. Through Q36.5 and our team, we quickly arranged and set everything up,” Vingegaard said. “We all had to come from different hotels, but we were close to Pidcock’s team.
“It was really great that this was all possible. Of course, we had to keep it a secret because Matthew Riccitello was also getting his white jersey. If the protesters had known that, it might not have been as safe.”
Also read: What the Vuelta protests mean for the future of cycling
Team manager Richard Plugge confirmed the story and said the improvised scene in the team’s parking lot carried even more emotional weight for everyone who endured the Vuelta’s wild ride.
“Yes, it was really Pidcock’s mother who came up with it. Initially, the riders weren’t that enthusiastic at all. They were like, ‘We want to go into town and party.’ Jonas had just changed, so he wasn’t really looking forward to it either,” Plugge said. “But we were like, ‘We’re going to honor our heroes.’
“I thought it was very special, a beautiful moment. It was also very symbolic. Everything was arranged within 45 minutes. Everyone brought something. The organizers were invited too, which made the ceremony special.”
