October 23, 2015

Ukrainian pro sport update: cycling

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Grivko riding for peace

The 31-year-old cyclist resides in France after living next door in Italy. He finds Monaco perfect for training and relaxation. It helps the cause to know his wife and family are comfortable in their new surroundings. Tuscany gave way to Monaco, which offers a better climate while being a small, yet large metropolitan area. Andrei Grivko’s prior home in Tuscany had weeks of cold weather and snow, making training far more difficult.

Grivko’s father passed his sport down to his son, getting him into cycling at an early age. Young Andrei would see his father training and eventually received his own bikes. Growing up, he was a sports enthusiast with running and cycling his favorites. Eventually, cycling won over as his sport of passion, and Andrei began admiring noted Ukrainian riders like Serguei Outchakov, Sergei Gonchar and Yaroslav Popovych. The latter cyclist inspired him the most with achievements such as third overall in the Giro d’Italia (2003), many victories in Italy and the white jersey in the Tour de France. During Grivko’s Under-23 stage he was particularly impressed with U.S. Postal team’s members Lance Armstrong and Popovych in 2005.

Grivko’s career has seen him riding for several champions: Contador, Vino, and recently, Vincenzo. He’s a five-time national time trial champion and won Ukraine’s national road race championships in 2012. He’s ridden the Tour de France eight times, including the Tour de France in 2014 with Astana. Grivko is committed to his Astana team for the next several years.

Situation in Ukraine

Cycling in Ukraine is limited in popularity, with two Continental teams totaling 30 riders like Popovych and Grivko who ride for Pro Tour teams. In 2015 Ukraine started a Continental Under-23 team in an attempt to attract younger riders and build a program. The issue, as it is with most sports programs, is lack of funding. The Ukrainian government subsidizes a junior program, but it is for all sports, not specifically. There is no doubt soccer is by far the No. 1 sport in Ukraine, although there are rumors about reform in sports and the need to participate in European competitions.

In interviews with Velo News, Cycling News and statements made at the 2014 and 2015 Tour de France races, it is quite clear how Grivko feels about his native homeland. The outspoken cyclist insisted the fault for the terrorist act of shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over rebel-controlled Ukraine lies squarely with Russia, led by President Vladimir Putin. His response to the snap referendum on March 11, 2014, which saw Crimean citizens vote for independence from Ukraine was that those who wanted to remain part of Ukraine were prevented from voting.

The Crimea native hoped his presence at the front of the peloton marshaling leader Vincenzo Nibali at the last two Tour de France races would have a positive effect back in his native land. He carried a message of peace and referred to his presence on the Tour as a mission.

The turmoil continues to affect Grivko. His parents and sister still live in Symferopol, Crimea, where he was born, and he is saddened by their suffering. His concentration while on his bike is affected. He found out his sister was fighting to refuse the Russian passport that the authorities were trying to impose on all residents. He mentioned that the Russian dictatorship was being implanted in his country while he was pedaling the roads of France.

Grivko was only 8 years old when the old Soviet Union broke up and Ukraine became a separate and independent country. He says that was only on paper. He remembered that everyone thought they would finally have freedom, but back then they were already victims of lies. The hope was that Ukraine would no longer be associated with Moscow, but, in his opinion, not much has changed in the last 20-plus years.

He sees the problem in the areas of Ukraine near Russia with the pro-Russian population. Some are called separatists, some terrorists and some pro-Russian. Grivko commented that he never thought he’d see the problems in Iraq or Israel manifest themselves in his own country. He is convinced that people want to live without war and be part of Europe with European rules. The issue at hand is convincing a majority of the Ukrainian people – many don’t understand the concept of change and wish to live by the old rules.

Future plans? Grivko wants to continue racing, hopes to win the Tour de France again and then pass on some of his sport’s experience to younger riders. In the meantime, he’s hoping and praying for a sensible resolution to the turmoil in eastern Ukraine and perhaps a return to Ukrainian Crimea.

Ihor Stelmach may be reached at  [email protected]

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