Even within the blindingly brilliant daylight of the Tour of Oman, it was troublesome to overlook seeing Ukrainian nationwide champion Andrii Ponomar.
The yellow and blue jersey of his nation’s colors stand out strongly towards the ochres and oranges of Oman’s stony mountain ranges and even at 20, the previous junior European champion spent a lot of the race in a distinguished place on the entrance of the bunch, working arduous for his new Arkéa-Samsic squad.
Given the continued conflict in Ukraine and the anniversary of the Russian invasion, no one may blame Ponomar if he was struggling to concentrate on one thing as trivial as a motorbike race. His father is presently combating towards the Russians, his hometown of Tcherniv was 70% destroyed within the earliest days of the invasion, and his mom and sister spent 11 days in an underground bunker earlier than escaping to Italy.
It virtually goes with out saying that biking in Ukraine has been massively affected, with the Nationwide Championships cancelled, and the actual fact Ponomar continues to be carrying the yellow and blue colors of the present champion he gained in 2021 is a bodily reminder of that.
On the finish of this week, Ponomar’s jersey will probably be on view once more on the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and, probably, Kuurne-Brussels–Kuurrne. However as he sees it, racing within the Ukraine colors goes method past any common obligations or motivations.
“I have to race sturdy and win so that folks can see this jersey,” the 20-year-old informed Cyclingnews earlier than the final stage of the Tour of Oman. “Now we have a conflict in Ukraine so we could not do the Nationals final 12 months, so this 12 months I am very happy to have the ability to present the colors of this jersey in all of the races I do.”
In Oman, Ponomar’s greatest probability of successful was arguably on stage 4, a prolonged 200km grind by rugged mountain foothills the place the early breakaway makes an attempt got here thick and quick with a race pace of properly over 42kph. As race chief Matteo Jorgensen put it later, “everyone was coming after us at that time.”
“I attempted to get in one of many breaks early on within the first two hours, however sadly it did not occur,” Ponomar mentioned, “however nonetheless I did some arduous work for the staff on the remainder of the day, even on the climbs. After that, I simply acquired to the end as greatest I may.”
He has actually turned in a formidable monitor report in stage races up to now. In 2021, aged 18, he grew to become the youngest rider to finish a Giro d’Italia since 1929. And in 2022, driving for the Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli squad, he as soon as once more raced the Giro d’Italia from begin to end.
“I am nonetheless looking for out what sort of rider I’m, and what my favorite kind of racing may very well be,” he provides. “I would like to check myself, and becoming a member of Arkéa-Samsic this 12 months, at WorldTour degree, will certainly assist me to do this.”
In the meantime, the racing goes on, and after Oman, his subsequent race will doubtless be Omloop this Saturday, however Ponomar is cautious about his probabilities, telling Cyclingnews that, “it is my first expertise of that type of Classics. I do like racing on the pavé and if I can do one thing, then nice, as a result of Classics are very completely different to the stage races.”
Though he speaks Italian after two years with Androni, the query of the language barrier in a French-speaking staff isn’t one which he has been in a position to resolve immediately, he says. “[But] we get by in English, which appears to work out OK. Issues are going properly with the brand new staff and little by little, within the language, we’re getting there.”
‘You by no means get used to this case’
Given his household’s and his nation’s circumstances, Ponomar has no have to look down at his nationwide jersey to recollect the conflict. And though the day by day routine of motorcycle racing helps hold him from dwelling on it an excessive amount of, he discovered it not possible to take action within the early days of the invasion when his metropolis, which is on one of many most important roads in direction of Kiev and near the Belarus and Russian borders, was being attacked.
“When the conflict began final February 24, I used to be racing the primary stage of Gran Camiño, a Spanish race,” he not too long ago informed Belgian newspaper La Dernière Heure. “Once I was on the bike, I informed myself I wanted to remain sturdy, that was the most effective perspective to have.
“However for the 2 following nights, I could not sleep in any respect, I could not cease studying the most recent information updates, to attempt to attain my kinfolk. I used to be fearful sick about my kinfolk whom I imagined had been in peril and I had a complete sense of powerlessness when confronted with that.
“On stage 3, my physique gave up. I began to experience however the stress inside me emptied me fully. After 10km I acquired within the automotive.”
Ponomar didn’t race once more for the next month and a half, till his sister and mom, desperately making an attempt to make it out of Tcherniv after which in a foreign country, lastly managed to hitch him in Italy within the Veneto area the place he was residing. In the meantime his father, whose profession as a soldier was because of finish in April, he informed La Dernière Heure, had been mobilised and continues combating in Ukraine.
“We nonetheless alternate messages however I do not handle to get him on-line by way of WhatsApp greater than as soon as a month roughly. He tries to maintain me calm by saying he is doing fantastic and we’re going to win this conflict,” Ponomar mentioned.
“You by no means get used to this case however we study little by little to deal with the stress and the everlasting pressure all of us really feel.”
However whereas his most necessary goal of 2023, can be peace in Ukraine, as he informed the Belgian newspaper, he continues to do what he can, and provides his nationwide champion’s jersey the very best profile he can.
“It makes me enormously proud. I’ve raced in many alternative nations with my jersey and the extra those who see my blue and yellow jersey, the higher. I wish to characterize my nation within the peloton and being a type of ambassador for Ukraine within the interval we’re going by makes me really feel stronger.
“I see it as a type of mission. And I get numerous commentaries and sort phrases from different riders, who ask me for my information and want that we are able to have peace there once more.”
