BORA - hansgrohe's Aleksandr Vlasov is one of, if not the highest profile Russian athlete in the men's peloton and with the current invasion of Ukraine by his home country, he is by consequence being sanctioned by some governing bodies in cycling.
Vlasov was a product of the development within Gazprom - Rusvelo, who have this week lost their UCI status due to the war Russia has triggered in Ukraine. The UCI has applied sanctions that didn't directly affect the 25-year old, however the governing bodies of each country in cycling have the power to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in it, as has been the case with Australia and the Netherlands. He has taken to Instagram to give his thoughts on the ongoing conflict.
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"I, like a lot of Russians, just want peace. I’m not a political person, and normal people like me weren’t asked if we want a war. It has been a shock for everyone and I hope that it will stop as soon as possible. It’s a difficult situation for everybody. I feel sorry for all the people who are suffering, and I hope that there will soon be peace. I am an athlete and my goal should be to unite people across political borders, rather than divide them. I think that should be the role of sports," he said.
In the coming days there are high chances that more countries will prevent riders like Vlasov from competing in their territory. Although not known goals for the Russian this season, as things stand he does not have the option to compete at the World Championships, Vuelta a España and Amstel Gold Race for example. He has had a fantastic start to the season with the win at Volta a Comunitat Valenciana and a fourth place at the UAE Tour, and will be looking to keep that good run of form at Paris-Nice which starts this Sunday.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- That 3000 extra that the Tour de France is built up in the flat stages
Rafionain-Glas04-11-2026 - maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
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- Orts was a super smart signing with the new rules regarding cross and UCI pointsmij04-11-2026
- yeah... you're right...PogiSloFans04-11-2026
- Podcast sounds great. Two so called experts stating the f*cking obvious.wrsty04-11-2026
- A mindset that reminds me of Tim Declerq. I loved watching that guy just pound away the kilometers, hours at the front, holding an entire breakaway in check on his own. Bjerg seems like a similar guy. Curling, the team sport.RidesHills04-11-2026
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