Andrei Tchmil
Encyclopedia
Andrei Tchmil is a retired professional road bicycle racer. His family moved to Ukraine
during the days of the Soviet Union
. He started cycling and showed enough talent to be moved to a cycling school in Moldova
. The glasnost
in the Soviet Union allowed him to try a professional career with the Italian
Alfa Lum
team in 1989.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union he became a Ukrainian citizen, although he eventually moved to Belgium
early in his professional career. "People are cynical when I talk about Belgium. They think I'm only Belgian on paper. That is not true. Yes, I was a Russian, even a proud one.... Now I am proud to be Belgian. The first thing I did was learn French. Now there are some books in my suitcase to learn Flemish. It's not easy," Tchmil said in an interview with Cycle Sport.
Tchmil rode the Tour de France
five times, but only finished twice and never won a stage.
Tchmil was most famous as a classic cobbled race specialist, thriving in races such as Ronde van Vlaanderen, Gent–Wevelgem, Omloop "Het Volk", and Paris–Roubaix. His first UCI Road World Cup win was in Paris–Roubaix in 1994. He also won the Paris–Tours in 1997 and Milan – San Remo in 1999. His last celebrated victory was in the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 2000 when he overpowered rival Johan Museeuw
in the finale. He was easily recognizable in the races, with his signature grimace, old-style helmet, and his powerful riding style. He won the UCI Road World Cup in 1999.
Tchmil retired in 2002, after having been forced to end his spring classics
campaign due to a bad fall during the Three Days of De Panne
in which his thigh was crushed.
In August 2006, Tchmil was appointed Minister
of Sport in Moldova
. In 2009, he became the team manager of the newly formed Team Katusha
.
1994
1995
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
during the days of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He started cycling and showed enough talent to be moved to a cycling school in Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
. The glasnost
Glasnost
Glasnost was the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of the 1980s...
in the Soviet Union allowed him to try a professional career with the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Alfa Lum
Alfa Lum cycling team
The Italian company of Alfa Lum, an aluminium door and windows manufacturer sponsored a professional cycling team for two periods of time. Firstly for the three seasons between 1982 and 1984 and then for three more seasons between 1988 and 1990. The team is best remembered for introducing many...
team in 1989.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union he became a Ukrainian citizen, although he eventually moved to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
early in his professional career. "People are cynical when I talk about Belgium. They think I'm only Belgian on paper. That is not true. Yes, I was a Russian, even a proud one.... Now I am proud to be Belgian. The first thing I did was learn French. Now there are some books in my suitcase to learn Flemish. It's not easy," Tchmil said in an interview with Cycle Sport.
Tchmil rode the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
five times, but only finished twice and never won a stage.
Tchmil was most famous as a classic cobbled race specialist, thriving in races such as Ronde van Vlaanderen, Gent–Wevelgem, Omloop "Het Volk", and Paris–Roubaix. His first UCI Road World Cup win was in Paris–Roubaix in 1994. He also won the Paris–Tours in 1997 and Milan – San Remo in 1999. His last celebrated victory was in the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 2000 when he overpowered rival Johan Museeuw
Johan Museeuw
Johan Museeuw is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1988 to 2004 and was particularly successful in the classic cycle races in the nineties....
in the finale. He was easily recognizable in the races, with his signature grimace, old-style helmet, and his powerful riding style. He won the UCI Road World Cup in 1999.
Tchmil retired in 2002, after having been forced to end his spring classics
Classic cycle races
The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same...
campaign due to a bad fall during the Three Days of De Panne
Three Days of De Panne
The Three Days of De Panne is a mid-week, three-day stage race before the Ronde van Vlaanderen in De Panne in West Flanders, Belgium. It is rated 2.HC by the UCI and is part of the UCI Europe Tour.- Winners :...
in which his thigh was crushed.
Post-cycling career
After his professional cycling career, Tchmil has been worked at Chocolade Jacques as a consultant, but he left because according to Tchmil the riders would not listen to him. In 2004, he was approached by the UCI to set up a cycling centre, which he did.In August 2006, Tchmil was appointed Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Sport in Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
. In 2009, he became the team manager of the newly formed Team Katusha
Team Katusha
Team Katusha is a Russian road bicycle racing team which participates in the UCI World Tour, using Focus bikes.- History :At the beginning of the 2009 season, the Tinkoff Credit Systems squad was renamed to Team Katusha. It is organised by the Russian Global Cycling Project foundation, which...
.
Palmarès
1991- Russian national road race champion
- GP Pino Cerami
- Paris–Bourges
1994
- GP Ouest-FranceGP Ouest-FranceGrand-Prix de Plouay Ouest-France is an elite cycle race held annually in late summer around a circuit based on the small Breton village of Plouay since 1931...
- E3 Prijs VlaanderenE3 Prijs VlaanderenThe E3 Harelbeke is an annual cycling race in the Flanders area of Belgium. The race starts and finishes in Harelbeke over 210 kilometres. The event is organised by the Hand in Hand Cycling Club of Harelbeke and is ranked 1.HC on the UCI Continental calendar....
- Paris–Roubaix
1995
- Paris–Camembert
- Tour du LimousinTour du LimousinTour du Limousin is a 4-day road bicycle race held annually in Limousin, France. It was first held in 1968 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. In 2011 it was upgraded to an 2.HC event. Between 1968 and 1974 it was an amateur race.-Winners:-External links:* *...
- Stadsprijs GeraardsbergenStadsprijs GeraardsbergenThe Stadsprijs Geraardsbergen is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in August or September in Geraardsbergen, Belgium. The race is a professional cycling race, but is not listed as a UCI event...
1997
- Dwars door VlaanderenDwars door VlaanderenDwars door Vlaanderen is a Flanders Classics road bicycle race. Traditionally, it is the start of the Flemish cycling week, with Gent–Wevelgem , the Three Days of De Panne and the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Dwars door Vlaanderen has always been contested on a Wednesday, a week and a half before the...
- Paris–Tours
- Memorial Rik Van SteenbergenMemorial Rik Van SteenbergenMemorial Rik Van Steenbergen is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in September in Aartselaar, Belgium. The race, paying respect the famous Belgian rider of the 40's and 50's, quickly gained importance and since 2005, it is a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
1998
- Kuurne-Brussels-KuurneKuurne-Brussels-KuurneKuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is an annual single-day road bicycle race in Belgium. It is ridden on the last Sunday of February or on the first Sunday of March, one day after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. First held in 1945, since 2005 it has been a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.The name of the race however...
1999
- Milan – San Remo
2000
- Coppa SabatiniCoppa SabatiniThe Coppa Sabatini is a late season road bicycle race held annually in Province of Pisa, Italy. Since 2005, the race has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
- Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
- Ronde van Vlaanderen
2001
- E3 Prijs VlaanderenE3 Prijs VlaanderenThe E3 Harelbeke is an annual cycling race in the Flanders area of Belgium. The race starts and finishes in Harelbeke over 210 kilometres. The event is organised by the Hand in Hand Cycling Club of Harelbeke and is ranked 1.HC on the UCI Continental calendar....
- GP Beghelli
2002
- 1 stage of Tour of BelgiumTour of BelgiumThe Tour of Belgium is a four-day bicycle race which is held annually in Belgium.It was held annually between 1908 and 1981, except during both world wars. Between 1982 and 1990 several of races were not organised and none at all during the decade 1991 to 2001...