Matteo Malucelli , an Italian rider who had started the season with Gazprom Rusvelo , described his situation and that of his other teammates in the latest Fantacycling YouTube live stream. The Russian-based team is paying for the consequences of the boycott that the Western world is trying to operate against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine . The formation, in fact, was stopped shortly after the start of the conflict, following the decision of the UCI to block all teams flying the Russian and Belarusian flag. These are the statements of Malucelli: " The initial intention was to run with the white jerseys, the team, understanding the situation, had already eliminated the writing because at the UAE, when we won the stage with Vacek, under the posts they started to there are unpleasant comments. They told us not to answer political questions because rightly we play sports and we don't do politics.  

Their intention was to go to Laigueglia in neutral clothing and to continue the season until a solution was found or hoping that the war would end in a short time. Then the UCI, despite the team having signed up and stamped ... the riders already had their numbers in the room, they were told that the next day they could not race.  

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The team was prepared, but they didn't expect such a serious situation either . "

A delicate situation in which the athletes found themselves totally disoriented: " The sponsor is Russian, Gazprom is Russian and we can't say anything, but the company that manages us is Swiss, the money came from Gazprom Germany - continued Malucelli - Okay , you can tell me that the written one is no longer good because it refers to Russia, as Schalke 04 had; you make me remove the writing and you make me continue to do my job and instead here they told us you can no longer do your job. Gazprom, among other things, was one of the few companies not to be sanctioned… so you who buy gas from them, okay, they who give the money to us, that's not good, for what reason? I make this consideration and I don't know how to give myself an answer.

We had become a beautiful reality, there was a desire to grow and there was a desire to invest a lot and it is a shame, because, everything that has happened is fine, but perhaps there is no sponsor of that potential. world ".

The riders could now find a new arrangement, but with the season already underway it is not easy: “ Theoretically we are free, practically no, we have not understood it… one of our team mates has returned to the Czech Continental team with which he had raced. They say we are free, the problem is that you have to find a team that has not reached the maximum number of riders. Teams that have not reached the maximum limit of 99% runners is because they have little budget.

I left well with the Androni, I broke up once I came back and I always left well. Savio is a gentleman, when we talk to each other he understands our needs and when I told him I had an offer from Gazprom he told me to take this opportunity. Fortunately, the Federation gives us the opportunity to run the Giro di Sicilia, because staying still without a goal is difficult ”.

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