Editor’s Note: CNN’s On the Road series brings you a greater insight into countries around the world. This time we travel to Azerbaijan in the lead up to the European Games to explore the culture of sports in the country sitting on the Caspian Sea.
Forget middle-aged men in Lycra – Azerbaijan’s new breed of cyclist is young, fit and fast.
Take Aqshin Ismailov and Tural Isgandarov.
Sporting the latest high-performance bikes, they stand proudly in front of the futuristic Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Baku, hoping to do their country proud in the European Games and other major competitions – maybe even the Tour de France.
Both are members of Azerbaijan’s Baku Project, which has the express aim of developing cyclists capable of competing on the international stage.
As in other sports, the squad is a mix of local riders and imported talent with the common goal of winning top-class bike races.
Opening honor
The 27-year-old Ismailov will be under particular scrutiny on the opening weekend of the European Games, when he is the first Azeri athlete in action.
Ismailov now specializes in mountain biking and the men’s cross-country event is one of the opening events on Saturday June 13, the first full day of competition.
“I will be the first to start and that’s why it’s a great feeling,” he told CNN.
“My parents can be there to support me, and it’s a big responsibility for me.”
Ismailov has set himself a modest goal against more experienced competitors from countries in which cycling is an established major sport.
“Frankly, I don’t expect to get medal because I’m a beginner in mountain biking, but I hope and believe that I will finish in the top 10,” he predicted.
Tour influence
Isgandarov, a road cyclist, believes the staging of a Tour of Azerbaijan cycle race for each of the last four years, attracting top class professionals, has helped massively raise the profile of the sport in his country.
‘I come across many people who see the race on television and now come and watch our racing,” he told CNN.
“Every small kid likes to ride a bike. For example, in my family we have three kids and they also want to be a cyclist.
“I say: ‘No problem. I’ll help you.’”
Ismailov, who used to compete in the national sport of wrestling before switching disciplines, agrees.
“Four years ago this sport wasn’t popular, but interest in cycling is now growing day by day,” he said.
Big investment
None of this has happened by accident, with Azerbaijan investing heavily in sports and hosting events like the European Games, and next year a Formula 1 race, in Baku.
“We are positioning ourselves as a sports country. Not to be focused on 10 sports or 15 sports but many more,” Azerbaijan’s Sport and Youth minister Azad Rahimov, told CNN.
Local riders will face tough competition across all cycling disciplines at the European Games, with famous riders such as Tom Boonen of Belgium and Italy’s Elia Viviani among the big names on the start sheets.
But if the enthusiasm of Ismailov and Isgandarov can be translated into medals, they will also be challenging for places on the podium in the future.
