Aleksandr Vlasov,
the Russian TT champion who rides for German team Bora-hansgrohe, has said he
is like most Russian people in that he wants peace.
The 25-year-old
is one of a small number of Russian riders who have been caught up in the move
to impose sporting sanctions in Russian sporting interests in response to his
country’s invasion of Ukraine last week.
Under new UCI
measures Vlasov will not be allowed to wear his Russian champion’s jersey in
races as the jerseys of Russia and a Belarus have been banned from the peloton.
Under measures
introduced by the Dutch cycling federation, which ban all Russian and
Belarusian riders from racing there, Vlasov will not be able to ride Amstel
Gold and other races in the Netherlands.
Under the UCI
measures as they stand, he will also not be able to ride the Worlds as part of
a Russian national team, though some form of individual entry – presumably
under a neutral banner – had not been completely ruled out.
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Now Vlasov has
take to social media to issue a statement saying that what is happening at
present did not arise from any decisions taken by the Russian people.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
His
remarks follow similar comments by Russian rider Pavel Sivakov (Ineos
Grenadiers), who was brought up in Italy and France but whose parents are
Russian, the country he has declared for.
After
the Russian invasion began last week, Sivakov urged people not to focus hate on
Russians in response to what has happened.
