The Gazprom Rusvelo cycling team has officially ceased operations and terminated the contracts of its riders and staff. Team manager Renato Camidulin has accused UCI president David Lapartient of doing nothing to help the team survive. On March 1, the UCI suspended the entire Russian and Belarusian teams, including Gazprom Rusvelo, following similar decisions in other sports and recommendations by the International Olympic Committee in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Individual Russian and Belarusian athletes have been allowed to continue competing on other teams. Since then, Kamidulin has been desperately trying to find a new title sponsor to cover costs estimated at 4 million euros, but so far nothing concrete has been decided. Camidulin is angry that the UCI has made no effort to keep the team alive with another nationality. He has decided to formally terminate the contracts of the riders and staff and is trying to liquidate the management company that ran the team from Switzerland and Italy.

He told Cycling News that the team has money set aside for salaries for the entire month of March and an invitation to a 15-day World Tour race, but insisted that the UCI will not help them survive. "As we said, we are suspending all activities; we cannot ask the 52 riders and staff to wait any longer. It's tragic because we have a perfectly functioning team structure with team cars, team buses, bikes, equipment, and riders who can win." Matthias Vacek won a stage in the UAE Tour, and on Sunday Alessandro Fedeli was second in the Italian GP Industria. The team was sponsored by Gazprom Germany, a wholly owned subsidiary of Russia's Gazprom, but was poised to race in a bright white jersey with a new nationality to attract new sponsors. French companies Look and Colima cut off their support for the team in early March, but the team removed all brand logos and kept the equipment. We could have gotten a lot of attention and saved the team. It was an opportunity. The riders agreed to the plan and were willing to do it, but the UCI said no and did not help at all. They defied us by doing nothing," insisted Camidulin. The riders and staff are now free to find new teams, but even the most successful riders, like UAE Tour stage winner Matthias Vacek and team leader Ilnur Zakarin, will find new teams during this season, when the 2022 budget is allocated will be difficult to find. Many leading WorldTour teams suffered COVID-19 incidents and injuries this spring, but the UCI has so far refused to increase the team size limit of 31 to help the teams and Gazprom Rusvelo riders EF Education Easy Post, Ineos Grenadier, Intermarche Wantigover, Israel Premier Tech, Quick Step Alpha Vinyl, and Trek Segafredo cannot increase their rosters because they have 31 riders, the maximum number for 2022. Pro teams are less likely to hire riders mid-season because they have smaller rosters and budgets. Kamidulin told Cyclingnews, "The cycling world is watching to see what the UCI will do, but it seems they would rather play politics than protect or help the riders and staff." 'The UCI wanted to punish the Russian team, but they also penalized riders from Italy, Norway, Spain, and even Costa Rica.' Even if three or four riders find new teams, the other 18 or so will be left on the street. That is not right. There are mechanics from Ukraine and Russian staff with wives from Ukraine who have lost their jobs there. They are desperate

"So I'm asking where is the UCI and why can't they help us keep the team alive with another nationality? Never once has there been a clear response to my pleas." But French President Emmanuel Macron was seen talking about finding a diplomatic solution to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Macron speaks, but La Partiente does not. Why?" The UCI updated its rules as of March 1 (opens in new tab), allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to pursue contracts with other teams not registered in those countries so they can continue to compete. The UCI did not respond to emails and messages sent by Cycling News regarding the Gazprom Rusvelo team.