Gazprom–RusVelo (), a part of the

Russian Global Cycling Project Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: * Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries * Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and ...

and sponsored by

Gazprom PJSC Gazprom ( rus, Газпром, , ɡɐzˈprom) is a Russian majority state-owned multinational energy corporation headquartered in the Lakhta Center in Saint Petersburg. As of 2019, with sales over $120 billion, it was ranked as the larges ...

, is a Russian road and track cycling team that suspended its activities in 2022. It was founded in late 2011 and granted UCI Professional Continental status. For its first season 2012 the team signed several ex- riders along with a few ones from Continental Team . RusVelo initially included both men's and women's rosters. The directors are Viatcheslav Ekimov, Oleg Grishkin, Egon van Kessel from the Netherlands, and Australian

Henk Vogels Hendricus "Henk" Vogels (born 31 July 1973, in Perth) is an Australian former professional road bicycle racer who retired from competition at the end of the 2008 season, riding with the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team. He won the Australian na ...

. The General Manager was

Heiko Salzwedel Heiko Salzwedel (16 April 1957 – 29 September 2021) was a German cycling coach and team manager. Coaching career Salzwedel was born in Schmalkalden. After moving from his native East Germany to Australia in 1990, he set up the Australian Ins ...

. In March 2022 the team's licence was revoked by the UCI following the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...

. On the same day bicycle manufacturer Look, and wheel provider Corima, both announced the cancellation of their sponsorship of the team. Later that month, the team suspended its activities.

Team history

In December 2012, RusVelo's request for a Professional Continental licence for the 2013 season was denied pending a review. The squad were ultimately awarded a Professional Continental licence on 9 January 2013.

Doping

In 2013 the team endured a spate of doping positives. In March

Valery Kaikov Valery Kaykov (born 7 May 1988) is a Russian former professional racing cyclist. Track In 2010 Kaykov won the individual pursuit at the U-23 European Track Championships. He was also part of the Russian team that won the team pursuit. At the 20 ...

for the, cancer-causing, banned compound GW501516 (Endurobol). This was the first recorded positive for Endurobol. In June at the 2013 Russian National Championships

Roman Maikin Roman Yuryevich Maikin (russian: Роман Юрьевич Майкин; born 14 August 1990) is a Russian racing cyclist, who currently rides for Russian amateur team Marathon–Tula. He rode at the 2014 UCI Road World Championships. Major res ...

and Artem Ovechkin tested positive for Fenoterol and received a six-month ban

Andrey Solomennikov Andrey Alexandrovich Solomennikov (russian: Андрей Александрович Соломенников; born 10 June 1987 in Ustinov) is a Russian former professional cyclist, who rode professionally between 2008 and 2017, for the , and t ...

tested positive for asthma medication and received a six-month suspension as well. As a result, the team auto-suspended itself from competition. In June 2015, the team received their fifth positive in less than two years when

Petr Ignatenko Petr Ignatenko (born 27 September 1987) is a Russian professional road racing cyclist. Doping In June 2015, Petr Ignatenko tested positive for human growth hormone (hGH) in an out-of-competition test on 8 April 2015. This is only the second hGH ...

tested positive for

human growth hormone Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in h ...

(hGH) in an out-of-competition test on April 8, this is only the second hGH positive since

Patrick Sinkewitz Patrik Sinkewitz (born 20 October 1980) is a German professional road racing cyclist, who is currently suspended from the sport until 2024 for doping and ineligibility offences. He was a climbing specialist who can ride well over a stage race, as ...

returned an adverse analytical finding for the substance.

Team roster

Major wins

National champions

;2013 :

Russian National Time Trial,

Ilnur Zakarin Ilnur Azatovich Zakarin (russian: Ильнур Азатович Закарин; born 15 September 1989) is a Russian racing cyclist, who rides for UCI ProTeam . Career Early career and doping ban In 2007, as a 17-year-old, he won the juniors t ...

;2015 :

Russian National Time Trial, Artem Ovechkin ;2017 : MaillotRusia

Russian National Road Race,

Alexander Porsev Alexander Nikolayevich Porsev (born 21 February 1986) is a Russian former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2011 and 2019, for and . Major results ''Sources'': ;2008 : 5th La Roue Tourangelle : 5th Grand Prix o ...

;2019 :

Russian National Road Race, Alexander Vlasov ;2021 : MaillotRusia

Russian National Road Race, Artem Nych

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gazprom-RusVelo Cycling teams based in Russia UCI Professional Continental teams Cycling teams established in 2012 2012 establishments in Russia