"If not today, then tomorrow the decision on the flag and the anthem will be made"

In May, the leadership of the Russian Cycling Federation changed for the second time in two and a half years. Oleg Sienko, who headed this organization in 2008-2010, became its president. And the post of first vice-president was taken by the legendary cyclist, three-time Olympic champion Vyacheslav Yekimov, who served as president of the federation in 2016-2023.

In an interview with Izvestia, Yekimov praised the organization of the Russian Highway Cycling Championship in Kazan, spoke about the goals of the new leadership of the federation and assessed the chances of athletes being allowed to participate in international competitions with a flag and anthem as soon as possible.

"Kazan is the sports capital of Russia"

— How do you like the organization of the Russian Championship in Kazan?

— Everything is fine. Kazan is a wonderful city, the sports capital of Russia. In my opinion, the competition was well organized. I think the racers are thrilled too. There were beautiful places to race both in the very center of Kazan, where group races were held in the last days of the championship, and in Innopolis, where separate races were held at the beginning. And the trails are very good.

— Initially, Nizhny Novgorod was supposed to host this championship, but a few months before the start it was moved to Kazan, which hosted the tournament for the second time. Why did you need to change the venue?

— Of course, we have to change the cities where tournaments of this level are held. But here it is necessary to take into account not only the factor of hospitality, but also the complexity of the route. There should be a heavy track in the national championship. If it is only flat, then this is not what our best cyclists need. And in Kazan, the conditions are perfect, the track is perfect. The weather was also good during the championship days — it was a bit hot, but overall the conditions were ideal for good racing. In general, it's better only in Moscow, in Krylatskoye, but this is generally the No. 1 facility in our country and unique in the world.

—With what?"

— There is no 13-kilometer highway anywhere inside the city, independent of anything and no one. And the track in Krylatskoye is attractive because it is convenient for versatile racers — for those who have to finish well and go uphill well. The ideal track for competitions. But at the same time, we cannot focus on Moscow and hold big starts only there — we need to popularize cycling in the regions. And Kazan shows that this is possible.

— In May, you returned to the leadership of the federation. What are your main tasks?

— There is a great desire to do what did not work out when I headed the federation as president. Namely— to start developing our sport at the regional level. To hold competitions in federal districts — championships, cups and championships of federal districts. So that our regions would "play", and as many talented athletes as possible would come out from there. We're running out of substitutes. If we talk about the national team, now there are 40-50 people left who can be viewed and attracted, like bison in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, no more. It's very small. The base should be the same as it was in the Soviet Union.

—How much?"

— There must be at least 300 riders in all disciplines in order to view them and select the best. We have enough people in mountain biking and BMX, but there is trouble in road cycling. And the track is not very good either, because there are not enough facilities in the country. We have only three tracks where you can train all year round — Moscow, Omsk and St. Petersburg. And we are concerned about the construction of new tracks, new freestyle trails and other facilities — a lot of work is needed here.

— Is there any progress in this direction?

— Recently, the president of our federation Oleg Viktorovich Sienko signed an agreement with the governor of the Ulyanovsk region on the development of cycling in the region. A similar agreement is currently being prepared with the Omsk region. And so, slowly, we hope to work together with local authorities to develop regional sports, including its infrastructure.

"Inside the international cycling party, they are waiting for the full-fledged return of Russia"

Famous cyclist Ilnur Zakarin — about the chances of the return of the flag and anthem, the last national championship in Kazan and the new track

"It's good that there are no similar cycling competitions in the Baltics"

— Even during your presidency, in 2023, cyclists were allowed to participate in international competitions in a neutral status, and they became one of the first Russians to be sanctioned. How soon can we expect access under the Russian flag?

— The movement in this direction has already begun on the part of the International Cycling Union. This organization has always been in an intermediate position. She did not take the most rigid position with the flag and anthem, as is now the case in many other sports, but she also did not adhere to the strictest approach, as in athletics, where Russians are not yet allowed even in a neutral status.

In cycling, the position is in the middle, but there is still movement towards the return of the flag. This is indicated by the fact that we have been granted admission to team disciplines and the neutral status has been lifted from young people, who can now perform under the Russian flag and with the national anthem. I think the moment is not far off when this will affect the national team as well.

— When the Russian cyclists had a neutral status before the 2024 Olympics in Paris, they could not qualify because they did not reach the qualifying competition in Scotland, where they simply did not have their visas approved. Can similar problems affect athletes of your federation now?

— The trouble with visas continues. They are given very reluctantly, at the very last moment. And you sit there until the last moment, not understanding whether you will get a visa or not, buy tickets or not. And if you buy them at the last moment, they already cost three times more than if you do it in advance. Such problems, of course, confuse the guys. But, thank God, we have access to international competitions now. And there are chances to participate in the selection for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, which is already underway in some disciplines. The Russian national team has a good chance of earning enough points to get there.

Yes, there will be logistical difficulties, but we are confident that the guys will get to a place where they can score the necessary points. Whether they will get them, whether they will get to the Olympics, is another matter. But there is a possibility. As a member of the International Cycling Union, I know what I'm talking about. I am sure that there is a movement towards it. If not today, then tomorrow, the decision on the flag and the anthem will be made. Then there will be issues with visas and financing of these trips. After all, in conditions where the cards are blocked, the same hotels must be paid in cash. So, you need to carry the currency. If, for example, you go to the Baltic States, they may take away your euros and simply won't let you through. It is good that there are no such cycling competitions in the Baltic States.

— Will there be such problems with traveling to the USA for the Olympics in Los Angeles?

— I don't think they will. Our Sports Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Degtyarev is sure of this, as well as other officials.

— What can your federation expect at the Los Angeles Olympics if it is represented there as much as possible?

— We are counting on medals. It is clear that these are not medals that you can be sure of in advance. Nevertheless, we are considering a track, a BMX freestyle, and both a park and a flight. We probably have some hopes for the highway, too. There are a number of professional racers competing at a high level. They also go to the Tour de France. We hope for them. Well, with a mountain bike, as it turns out.