{
  "id": 3272481,
  "title": "'It has a serious problem with cyclists' – Pyrenean hotel sheltering Vuelta a España riders receives dozens of spoof reviews on Google",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/it-has-a-serious-problem-with-cyclists-pyrenean-hotel-sheltering",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-25T10:47:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Cycling Weekly",
    "slug": "cycling-weekly",
    "url": "https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/it-has-a-serious-problem-with-cyclists-pyrenean-hotel-sheltering-vuelta-a-espana-riders-receives-dozens-of-spoof-reviews-on-google"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Igesa Village Club, a Pyrenean hotel, found itself in the global sporting spotlight after stage three of the Vuelta a España brought scores of cyclists and staff into its doors. The hotel, located about 15 kilometers from the intended finish near Font Romeu, was not prepared for the sudden influx of 183 cyclists and staff, arriving without prior notice. While the hotel initially served as shelter for the riders, who were caught in a heavy hailstorm during the stage, it soon became a subject of many online reviews, both sincere and humorous.\n\nReviewers praised the hotel for its warm hospitality, cycling-friendly environment, and free towels provided to the riders to dry off from the freezing hail. Some even joked about the hotel's struggles in accommodating such a large number of cyclists, with one suggesting it deserved the combativity prize for its efforts. The hotel staff had to deal with the aftermath of the hailstorm, cleaning wet leotards and helping the disheveled riders adjust to their new surroundings.\n\nDespite the challenging weather conditions, many riders expressed their appreciation for the hotel's service, with some even sharing amusing anecdotes about their encounters with the riders, such as a rider named \"Pogichitar\" who appeared perplexed and another rider mentioned as \"Pogachita.\" Although the weather was unfriendly, the hotel's staff managed to provide excellent service, ensuring that the visitors had a pleasant stay. The stage ended with no result, as the riders continued their 174km journey from Gruissan to Font Romeu. The general classification remained unchanged from the previous stage, with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) still in the leader's red jersey. On the following day, the riders set out on a 104km mountainous stage in Andorra, beginning in Andorra La Vella.",
  "summary": "The Igesa Village Club in Les Molines was inundated with riders taking cover from the hail during yesterday's abandoned stage three",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}