Russian Ineos cyclist SWITCHES NATIONALITY to become French, as he is against the war in Ukraine

Ineos Grenadiers’ Russian rider Pavel Sivakov has had his request to switch nationality approved and will now race under the French flag.

Sivakov, who was born in Italy to Russian parents and moved to France when he was just one, said he had wanted to switch nationality ‘for some time’ but due to the war in Ukraine he wanted to ‘fast track’ his application.  

The delay to his switch in nationality was due to being dissuaded by the fact that it could have led to him missing out on racing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The UCI, however, along with the current war forced his hand as they ruled last week that individual Russian and Belarusian riders could continue to compete for their trade teams but under a neutral flag.

Both cycling federations have been notified and he can now race under the French flag at national, world championship and Olympic events, according to Ineos Grenadiers.

‘France is where I grew up and was educated and where I fell in love with riding my bike which led me to racing. It feels like my home,’ Sivakov said in a statement.

Sivakov said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special operation to capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists, had prompted him to have his change of nationality expedited.

Ineos Grenadiers’ Russian rider Pavel Sivakov has had his request to switch nationality approved

The 24-year-old will now race under the French flag as he decided to fast track his decision due to Russia’s invasion on Ukraine

‘I’ve wanted to become a French national for some time and had made the request to the UCI, but given what is happening in Ukraine at the moment, I wanted to fast track this,’ Sivakov said.

‘I want to thank the UCI and the team at INEOS Grenadiers for supporting me with this process and helping make this a reality. 

‘To now have the opportunity to race as a French national in international events makes me incredibly happy. 

Sivakov (pictured, left) was outspoken in his condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on social media

Ineos Grenadiers reveal that the UCI have officially granted Sivakov a change of nationality

‘It would be a dream to race in Paris at the 2024 Olympics for France and this is something that the team have said they would fully support.

‘As I have previously said, I am totally against this war and all my thoughts are with the Ukrainian people. 

‘Like most people around the world right now, I hope for peace and a swift end to the suffering happening in the Ukraine.’ 

The 24 year-old was outspoken in his condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on social media last week.

‘It’s been a difficult few days seeing what’s currently happening,’ Sivakov wrote on Twitter. 

‘First of all I just want to say that I’m totally against the war and can’t get around what’s going on in Ukraine.’

‘I also want people to understand that most of the Russians only want peace and never asked for all of this to happen.’

Russian troops had attacked the Zaporizhzhia plant in the early hours of Friday, with CCTV capturing a fierce gun battle between Putin’s men and Ukrainian defenders that sparked a fire in a six-storey training building just outside the main complex.

Fire-damaged buildings at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear complex are pictured on Friday morning after coming under attack by Russian forces overnight, leading to international condemnation 

Moscow’s men then stopped firefighters getting to the building for several hours.

Eventually, emergency crews were allowed to go in and douse the flames before Russian troops moved in an occupied the site, which provides a fifth of Ukraine’s electricity. 

The UN’s nuclear monitoring agency said that, fortunately, none of the site’s six reactors had been directly damaged and radiation levels remained normal.

A projectile (the bright light, bottom left) lands in a car park at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, damaging cars in the area

Zaporizhzhia has six nuclear reactors, making it the largest of its kind in Europe, and accounts for about one quarter of Ukraine’s power generation. One report said the fire was about 150 meters away from one of the reactors

Moscow has, predictably, attempted to deny responsibility for the attack, saying its forces had come under attack by Ukrainian ‘saboteurs’ while patrolling the plant, who then set fire to the building themselves.

Ukraine is home to three other active nuclear power plants, one of which is located 70 miles from the city of Mykolaiv which Russian forces have begun attacking after seizing nearby Kherson. 

The other two active sites are located in the west and are not currently under threat, though that situation could change as the Russian attack branches out. 

Ukraine also has five sites which are out of action, but could still pose a risk if hit by shells.