'An unforgettable experience': Hotel owner stunned by Vuelta's surprise arrival

Hotel manager Guillaume Villeneuve described an "unforgettable experience" at his hotel after the Vuelta a España peloton sought shelter there during a violent hailstorm.

The IGESA Village Club Mont-Louis Les Sorbiers became an unexpected refuge on Monday after torrential rain and hailstones reportedly the size of golf balls forced the cancellation of stage 3 with around 16km remaining.

Villeneuve had expected inclement weather conditions, but he hadn’t expected Tadej Pogačar and the Vuelta peloton to walk through his hotel doors.

“Suddenly I saw Pogačar walking in here,” Villeneuve told Sporza. “With a lot of riders, staff members and press members in his wake.”

The hotel’s staff immediately switched into action, handing out towels and providing tea, coffee, chocolate milk, fruit and food to the soaked riders. 

Photos were snapped of riders using exercise bikes in the gym to warm up, while others were wrapped up with towels, though the mood was positive throughout.

The unexpected invasion was just as astonishing for the hotel’s regular guests, who suddenly found themselves sharing the building with some of cycling’s biggest stars.

"Our vacationers couldn’t believe their eyes when they came face to face with all the great cycling heroes, such as Van Aert and Pogačar,” Villeneuve said. “Especially for the children, it was an unforgettable experience.”

The hotel has since received a major boost in publicity, with riders and cycling fans flooding its Google page with five-star reviews.

Uno-X Mobility’s Tobias Halland Johannessen praised the hotel’s “perfect location in hailstorms” and its rapid towel service, while Tudor’s William Barta described the staff as “incredibly kind and helpful”. Lidl-Trek’s Julien Bernard also thanked them for their “warm welcome”.

Tudor rider Roland Thalmann awarded four stars but called it the “most friendly Hotel” he had ever seen, praising its ability to provide towels, drinks and food for almost 200 unexpected guests.

Villeneuve was stunned by the reaction, stating, “I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

The stage cancellation was the first complete Vuelta stage cancellation caused by extreme weather since 1991. 

While the storm created the most unexpected memories for Villeneuve and his hotel, he hopes the Vuelta peloton will be able to return one day in the future.

“I hope the riders return someday,” he said. “But in better conditions.”