HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski Cycling Team welcome Ukrainian cyclists

Polish continental team HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski Cycling Team have in the last few days announced they had taken a break from racing in order to help with the humanitarian crisis currently ongoing in the Poland-Ukraine border due to Russia's invasion of the latter. They have not contributed to this effort by welcoming young Ukrainian riders.

The team had stated earlier this week on Facebook: "This is a very difficult situation for us, but there are things that are important and more important - we have decided to give up the start in the Visit Friesland Elfsteden Race. Today, four of our buses drove residents from Ukraine to different places of Poland. We help as much as we can, this is the most important goal for us today. The funds that were supposed to be issued for the first starts are being allocated to the 'Ukraine project'.

"We believe that we are doing the right thing, we have a lot of Ukrainian friends from the cycling environment and that's what we're focusing on today. We are shaken by the situation. We hope that our almost three-month preparations will not go in vain and soon we will be able to compete on the routes of Poland, Europe and the world with a clean heart and a calm mind," the team added.

This wednesday the team has shared on social media that they have welcomed seven riders from Ukraine, and will be providing accommodation and opportunities for them. Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, over a million people - mostly women and children - have migrated towards Poland.