2009: Ivanov opens a new chapter

No Russian rider will take the start of the 2017 Tour de France. It hasn’t happened since they made their debut in 1990. The Katusha team is now registered in Switzerland and sponsored by German company Alpecin. On its first participation in 2009, the majority of their riders were Russians and the shape of the Kremlin was printed on their jerseys. That year, they didn’t have any GC contender in their ranks but a few stage hunters. Sergei Ivanov was the first Russian to win for a Russian team as he rode strongly to victory in stage 14 to Besançon in 2009, but the first Russian stage winner of the Tour de France was Dimitri Konyshev riding for San Marino-registered outfit Alfa Lum as he crossed the line of stage 17 in Pau in 1990. Ilnur Zakarin won stage 17 at Finhaut-Emosson last year. He’ll wait for 2018 to possibly have a successor.
 
Katusha riders to watch out for on Le Tour 2017: Tony Martin (All), Alexander Kristoff (Nor).