In May 2023, 15 months after Russia illegally invaded Ukraine and started a war, the UCI reversed its ban prohibiting Russian cyclists from participating in UCI events, including the World Championships.

After qualifying for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships at Gran Fondo Cyprus in March, Russian cyclist Anastasiia Riabochkina, 34, traveled to Dundee, Great Britain to race in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championship Time Trial on 7 August. Competing in the Women’s 35-39 year-old category, she finished in 7th place with a time of 34:20 at an average pace of 39.833kph.

Although she was not allowed to display the Russian flag or wear national team clothing and the UCI masked her nationality by listing it as “AIN” (Athlete In Neutrality), Riabochkina is a Russian citizen with a Russian Cycling Federation license who rides for Moscow based Impulse Team. As recently as August 2022, after Russia’s invasion, she even registered to compete in the state sponsored All-Russia Spartakaid Games in Moscow.

In 2021 before the invasion, 13 Ukrainian cyclists participated in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championship Time Trial in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Regrettably, this year no Ukrainian cyclists were able to compete in the world championship time trial races. It was a luxury they could not afford. They were busy trying to survive Russian missiles, defend their country and sadly, dying.

According to a Reuters article on 1 April 2023, the Ukrainian sports world has been decimated by Russia’s aggression, at least 262 athletes have been killed and 363 sports facilities destroyed.

Photo Credit: UCI World Cycling Championships Glasgow, nassostriantafyllou.gr

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