The photo that presided over this report was taken last Tuesday during the finalization of the first phase of the project. Sicily Tour. In the foreground, the sprinter Matteo Malucelli Wearing the colors of the Italian national team, he angrily celebrates his victory. Behind him, two other colleagues can be seen making a similar gesture. one (left) Damiano Caruso, the star of ‘Nazionale’ in this bike race; the other Alessandro Fedelias the stage winner, who has a lot to celebrate at the finish line bagheria.
Malucelli and Fedeli are two of the cyclists that the conditions turned into two without eating or drinking. outlaw. His misfortune was to come to an agreement to run in the Russian team. Gazprom-RusVeloIn recent seasons, a classic of the second world division (and therefore a squad with sporting and economic guarantees) has been wiped off the map by the invasion of Ukraine.
Italian national team, team ItalyIt has been the sanctuary that these two runners and their five other compatriots have a valid contract with the team this season and vetoed to continue doing their job.
This story, like many in the last month and a half, begins with the military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, at the behest of Vladimir Putin. Day by day, the world imposes various sanctions on Russian citizens, companies and organizations. Sport does not escape this dynamic and takes an unprecedented security measure in war situations.
Ukraine sanction
In the case of cycling, International Cycling Union (UCI) has decided to cancel all tests scheduled for this season. Russia and Belarusto exclude from competitions the national teams of these countries and the private teams from those countries, if they have rightfully failed to change their nationality.
It was quickly used by this resource. vozrojdenieA third category squad benefiting from its links with the Cycling Federation Georgia to register in that country as an amateur team so that they can continue their activities. A change of jersey (not shorts) and a new temporary name was enough to get the progression.
But the best Russian team didn’t find that many opportunities. Gazprom-RusVelo is the only bike to compete in the Giro d’Italia, the two highest categories of world cycling. 2016 Y 2017and the UCI seems to want to use it to set an example of the stringency of its war sanctions in Ukraine.
Team breaks sponsorship deals gazpromHe offered the Russian national gas company and UCI his registration in Italy, where he had important connections (his manager, Renat Khamidulin) and do so with a neutral flag or Switzerland, where the company that owns the staff is registered. Neither option convinced the body that rules the world cycling.
A few weeks ago, RusVelo suspend all activitygives its drivers the freedom to search for a new team. The problem is that teams have predetermined budgets and in most cases it’s not easy to do this mid-season without free chips.
a Spaniard
21 runners, 9 of whom were Russian, suddenly became unable to compete. The remainder are of various nationalities, including seven Italians and one Spanish. José Manuel Diazwinner of the Tour of Turkey last year when he ran through the ranks of the late French Delko.
Only the Italians managed to find a spring that allowed them to move on from time to time, thanks to the tradition that existed in their country. Except for high-level tests (Giro, Milan-San Remo, Lombardy, Tyrrhenian…), it is customary for the Italian Cycling Federation to display a national team during the national calendar.
in the previous time world ChampionshipWhile serving as a test for runners to chase the rainbow jersey, at other stages of the season, like now, they often find the opportunity to give men running in junior teams the opportunity to support a higher-level leader. .
However, given the current circumstances, the leading team Daniele Bennati (The famous sprinter who went through Movistar and retired in 2019) decided to take advantage of these early spring races to give the seven Italians from Gazprom-RusVelo the opportunity to continue racing.
four races
Since the war began, Italy has participated in four races: Forever Alfredo, Semana Coppi y Bartali, Industry Grand Prix and Giro de Sicilia. Italians from Gazprom competed in the top four, and the number went up to five in the other three. except young Andrea Piccoloall participated in at least one test. Giovanni Carboni, Nicola Conci Y Alessandro Fedeli All four of them did.
“We want to give these kids the opportunity to continue to compete,” he says. Roberto Amadio, the sports director of the transalpine team, made a statement to the official website of the Italian Federation. “We thank the federation for allowing us to continue running, but UCI should give our team a license to do this,” Fedeli says.
The problem for these drivers is that the Italian spring calendar is coming to an end. to stay a few tests It will slacken in May and June, and the Nazionale’s activity will not return until September. Therefore, Malucelli celebrated his victory in Sicily with great anger. Because who knows when he will have a new opportunity to fight.