Just as the excitement fr om the Russian Cup began to fade, the national road cycling championships took over. Held in Izhevsk from July 18 to 23, the competitions alternated across three tracks: the biathlon complex at the Olympic Reserve Sports School named after Major General Alexander Demidov, the Galina Kulakova Sports and Recreation Ski Complex, and the village of Svetloye. The event brought together 30 of the country’s strongest athletes from eight regions — Moscow, Kaliningrad, Kursk, Pskov, Sverdlovsk, Samara, and Tula.

This time, cyclists competed in four disciplines: the 1,000-meter sprint, a 35-kilometer time trial, an 80-kilometer group race, and a criterium (48 km + 20 finishing segments). While the favorites demonstrated their usual dominance, ambitious newcomers pushed them in several races. Success hinged on rigorous training and high-quality cycling equipment.

The final day’s criterium — featuring twenty intermediate finishes — drew particular attention. Unlike the other races, wh ere the first across the line won, this event awarded points at designated laps. The first rider earned 5 points, the second 3, and the third 2. The overall winner was determined by total points, even if they didn’t finish first on the final lap.

The competition wasn’t without drama. Alisa Bondareva from Kaliningrad, who had led in 19 intermediate finishes, crashed just before the last segment. Despite bleeding hands and a shoulder injury, along with damaged equipment, she summoned her willpower to catch up and finish strong, securing her second gold medal. Dmitry Rozanov, another consistent leader from the Moscow region, also claimed two golds. Young talents Anna Poretskova and Elizaveta Bavykina from Samara impressed as well, each snatching a gold of their own.

RESULTS OF ALL DAYS

Valery Kobzarenko, Senior Coach of the Russian National Road Cycling Team:

“This event served as a qualifier for the Deaflympic Games. At my request, the criterium track was made more challenging, and the individual race was extended to test the main candidates we plan to send to Tokyo.

Among the women, Bondareva and Bavykina were the clear leaders, but Poretskova’s performance was a pleasant surprise. For the men, Rozanov was the undisputed standout, though Makarov also proved his potential. As for the younger riders, Zhilin surprised me by pressuring Shaparev in the sprint, though a mechanical issue cost him the win. Still, Zhilin took second in the criterium, which was encouraging. I was also pleased to see Nikolay Pochernyaev return to form with a third-place finish in the time trial.

Overall, I’m satisfied with the results. The established leaders are in top shape, and the emergence of young talent ensures a bright future. Now, we await the mountain bike selection before entering the final phase of preparation for Tokyo.”

Text: Artemy Antonov, Nurlan Tazhigulov

Photo: Maria Zagrebina

Translation: Daria Kudelina