Cypriot Cyclist Bogdan Zabelinskiy: A Family of Champions

Bogdan Zabelinskiy, a Cypriot cyclist, recently achieved a victory at the Kortemark Koerse in Belgium, adding another layer to a family legacy steeped in professional cycling. His mother, Olga Zabelinskaya, is a prominent figure in women’s cycling, having competed for Russia and, later, Uzbekistan.

Zabelinskaya’s career includes a silver medal in the Olympic time trial in 2016 and numerous other accolades. She transitioned to representing Uzbekistan towards the end of her career, a move that came after a period of controversy. In 2016, she initially celebrated a perceived gold medal win in the Rio Olympics women’s road race, only to have the victory awarded to Kristin Armstrong after a review of the results, following a previous 18-month doping ban.

The family’s connection to cycling extends further back, with Zabelinskiy’s grandfather, Sergei Sukhoruchenkov, also a notable cyclist. Sukhoruchenkov twice won the Ronde van de Toekomst (Tour of the Future) but found limited success at the professional level, according to available records.

Olga Zabelinskaya’s medal record includes Olympic medals representing Russia in both the road race and time trial at the 2012 London Games, as well as a time trial gold in Rio in 2016. More recently, competing for Uzbekistan, she has secured multiple medals at the Asian Games and Asian Championships in both road and track cycling, including a time trial gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and multiple medals at the 2024 Almaty Asian Championships.

Bogdan Zabelinskiy’s choice to compete under the Cypriot flag represents a continuation of the family’s involvement in the sport, and a new chapter in a lineage that spans multiple generations and national allegiances.