Ukraine sanction
The report opens with a scene from last Tuesday when the first phase of the Sicily Tour was wrapping up. In the foreground, sprinter Matteo Malucelli wears the Italian national colors and celebrates a hard‑fought victory; two colleagues mirror the gesture behind him. On the left is Damiano Caruso, a star for the Nazionale in this race, and on the right is Alessandro Fedeli, the stage winner with much to celebrate at the finish in Bagheria.
Malucelli and Fedeli are among a group of riders who found themselves out of contract and unpaid, left to navigate survival in a sport that has faced upheaval. Their hopes dimmed when a deal to ride for a Russian team fell apart in the wake of geopolitical tensions. Gazprom-RusVelo disappeared from the professional scene as the invasion of Ukraine disrupted cycling’s traditional structures.
The Italian national team has become a sanctuary for these riders, along with five other Italians who hold valid contracts for the season but faced vetoes on continuing their duties.
The narrative mirrors a broader story unfolding since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, when sanctions spread across nations, companies, and organizations. Sport has not escaped this reality and has adopted unprecedented security measures in times of war.
Ukraine sanction
The International Cycling Union cancelled all events planned for the season and barred Russian and Belarusian national teams from competition. Private teams registered under those nations were also affected, with nationality changes required to continue racing.
A notable workaround emerged as a third‑tier squad leveraged its links with a regional federation to register in another country as an amateur outfit, allowing continued activity. A jersey swap and a temporary name change were enough to progress the team through the season.
Yet Gazprom-RusVelo found few opportunities. It remained the only Russian‑linked outfit to race in the Giro d’Italia, having competed in two prior seasons, and now faced a clear message from the sport’s regulator about sanctions. The team’s attempts to register in Italy under neutral or Swiss flags, aided by connections like management, were not approved.
Weeks later, RusVelo suspended all activity and gave riders freedom to seek new teams. Mid‑season moves are difficult due to fixed budgets, and the shift places many riders in a precarious position as teams renegotiate rosters and sponsorships.
a Spaniard
Across the peloton, 21 riders, nine of them Russian, suddenly found themselves unable to race. The rest of the field includes several nationalities, among them seven Italians and one Spaniard. Jose Manuel Diaz, the Tour of Turkey winner from the previous year, had ridden through the Gazprom ladder before earning a path elsewhere.
Italian teams proved more resilient. Outside the grand tours, the Federation’s calendar still serves as a platform to showcase home talent. It is common for Italy to field a national squad during many races on the spring calendar, with the federation’s support opening doors for riders in higher‑level events and giving junior riders a chance to back a leader.
With the current climate, the team led by Daniele Bennati—an iconic sprinter who rode for Movistar and retired in 2019—chose to use early spring races to give seven Gazprom‑RusVelo Italians the opportunity to continue competing.
four races
Since the war began, Italy has contested four races: Forever Alfredo, the Coppi e Bartali week, the Industry Grand Prix, and the Giro di Sicilia. Gazprom riders competed in all four, with participation rising to five in the other three events. At least one Italian, Andrea Piccolo, took part in every test; Giovanni Carboni, Nicola Conci, and Alessandro Fedeli joined the full slate. All of them wore the same color of national pride—despite the circumstances—on the Italian races that spring.
The opening day of the Giro di Sicilia was promising for the Italian lineup, with Malucelli clinching the first stage in a time of 4 hours, 31 minutes, and 36 seconds over 199 kilometers. We can see the pride in the relay of the Italian flag and the federation’s support reflected in that finish line moment. The Federation’s official channels captured this sentiment, noting the team’s hope to keep racing under federation permission as the season progressed. [Citation: Italian Cycling Federation statements, 2022]
We are told that the Italian football of governance and sports management remains resolute in allowing these riders to press on. The sports director of the Transalpine squad remarked that the federation’s permission to continue racing was welcome, but the UCI should grant a license to keep the team active. Alessandro Fedeli echoed the sentiment, pointing to the need for stable licensing to ensure stability for the riders and the staff alike.
The calendar’s spring sprint may be winding down, with May and June offering fewer events and September marking the return of Nazionale duties. Malucelli’s victory in Sicily was celebrated with a fierce energy, a reminder of the uncertain window for racing opportunities and the desire to seize every chance to compete.
[End of narrative: The Giro di Sicilia story remains a lens on resilience and national pride in cycling during a period of upheaval.]