Riders and staff at the Russian Gazprom-Rusvelo pro cycling team say they feel “alone” and “cancelled” after being banned in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Cycling’s governing body the UCI revoked the licences of Russian and Belarusian teams in March.
More than 55 personnel have been left without pay and many feel mistreated.
“We don’t want this war, and now we are alone, unpaid,” said Italian rider Marco Canola.
The UCI has been contacted for comment.
“It’s really hard and sad,” added Canola, 33. “Riders and also all the staff, we are without a job. What we did for the last years is cancelled. It’s so difficult to accept because we don’t have any fault in this.
“I think it’s important not to think about just about the riders but also the staff – masseurs, mechanics, directors – because also they have families and children.
“I ask [UCI president] David Lappartient to come to talk to us and to not be scared about this.”
All staff are now without pay, as Gazprom are not obliged to continue to finance the team if there is no competition licence in place.
Gazprom, a second-tier, Pro-Tour team in road cycling, was part-funded by the state-backed Russian oil and gas company of the same name – which also saw its ties with German Bundesliga club Schalke come to an end in March.
“What I want to say to the UCI is to think about all our lives in this moment,” Canola added. “If they are in the same position as us what would they do to make sense to their lives?
“In the past weeks many of us have gone without sleep during the night. We are tired.”
Canola added that the team – which only has nine Russian nationals on the roster – has discussed the position with cycling union the CPA, and that the UCI had sent representatives to talk to them and the five other teams affected by the decision.
“I think it’s important if we talk really clearly and without a barrier between us. Until now [Lappartient] always sends another guy inside the UCI, but he hasn’t the power to take any solution or decision.”
Prior to the ban, the team’s manager Rhenat Khamidulin asked the UCI if the team could compete in jerseys without any branding to “show our team is against this war”, said Canola.
“We are really sad in this moment – we want back a normal life,” he added.