Toms Skuzinsch headed to Belgium to compete in the opening weekend for the first time, but his excitement for the cobbled race was clouded by news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

He spent the entire trip reading and watching the news, and the business of racing bicycles for a living suddenly seemed small and unimportant.

"It's not easy," Skuzinsch told Cycling News at Tirreno Adriatico on Tuesday. 'Two weeks ago, when I attended my first opening weekend, I was pretty conflicted. But I was watching the news on the train and didn't know what to do or how to feel. Some days are good, some days are bad.

In recent weeks, Latvia's champion, Sukhdinsh, has been vocal in his condemnation of the aggression, posting messages of solidarity on social media to both Ukrainian and Russian protesters. Because of Latvia's proximity to Russia and shared history with Ukraine, war is a pressing concern for Skujins.

However, his Trek Segafredo directeur sportif, Yaroslav Popovich, recently returned to his native Ukraine to help evacuate Ukraine.

"We are bordered by both Russia and Belarus, and Ukraine is not that far away. One of our directors is Ukrainian. So maybe we feel closer to them than others," Skuzinsh said. [My sisters are no longer in Latvia, but my parents are still there, my friends are still there, and my grandparents are still there."

Above all, Skujinsz is concerned that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the beginning of an attempt to strip the former Soviet bloc countries of the democratic freedoms they have won over the past 30 years.

"Many of the former Soviet countries have come a long way and it would be a real shame to see their people oppressed again. That is why I must speak out. If we do nothing, it could lead to something much bigger," Skujins said. [And we may be able to sway the decision to end this war.

Quinn Simmons, Skujins' Trek Segafredo teammate, has set up a GoFundMe page (opens in new tab) to collect donations to help those forced to leave their homes during Jaroslav Popovic's invasion.

Funds raised will be used to purchase medical supplies, hygiene items, food, batteries, bedding, and clothing.

"I think a lot of people are doing their part. Not only the team, but also the general public." [I have a friend in Poland who spends almost 20 hours a day driving back and forth from the border to where his relatives are, helping people. It's not just us, it's everyday people who are actually doing the heavy lifting."