We no longer present the young Franco-Russian runner, member of the powerful collective Ineos. Considered by many followers as a potential grand tour winner, his talent is beyond doubt, whether Russian or French. Focus on a nugget of world cycling…
Cycling, a family matter
Pavel was born in 1997 to San Donà di Piave, not far from Venice, Russian parents. Both high level cyclists, Pavel evolves in an ultra sporting environment. His mother, Alexandra Koliaseva, is crowned world champion in the team time trial two years in a row (in 1993 and 1994), and his father Alexei Sivakov is a professional racer until 2005, at Bigmat Auber 93 especially, with some good results to his credit on European soil. The small family moved to the Paris region shortly after Pavel's birth., before moving to Haute Garonne. So it was quite naturally that he took his first license, at 13 years, at St Go Cycling Comminges. He quickly climbed the youth ranks and got noticed early on., winning great success, including the junior Tour of Flanders and the junior Tour of Upper Austria. Pavel is then 18 years, and is destined for a career as a professional runner.
A rapid rise
His results did not leave the staff of the BMC Development team indifferent, reserve of his big sister in World Tour. He signs in 2016, for his first year of hope, and continues to progress towards the professional ranks. 2e of Liège Bastogne Liège espoir and the Olympia’s Tour, he also won his first victory in the under 23 years on the occasion of the Tour de Berlin prologue, proof of his riding skills. The next year, he becomes the first runner-up to win in the Ronde de l'Isard, the Baby Giro and the Tour of the Aosta Valley in the same season. He also won on the last stage of the Tour de l'Avenir, won by Egan Bernal, by demonstrating very good qualities of climber. He ends his season 2017 on this positive note, while he obtains French nationality after having passed 19 years in the territory.
In 2018, while he had spent 2 seasons within BMC Development training, he signs with the legendary Sky team and joins Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome, Michal Kwiatkowski or his former rival Egan Bernal in what was then considered the best team in the world, with 2 grand tour victories in the previous year.
Unusual potential
Pavel Sivakov makes his first laps with the pros at Coppi and Bartali International Week. For his first day of racing, he performs two half steps, and wins the second, a team time trial. He will finish 4th in the general classification 3 days later thanks to a 7th place in the individual CLM, devant Fausto Masnada, Giulio Ciccone, Ivan Sosa or Guillaume Martin. More than successful beginnings, who launch their first professional season perfectly. He continued that year with some good performances in Europe, and in particular a 6th place in the final CLM of the Tour de Suisse and a second place in its national championship of the specialty. The basics are laid, Sky holds there a nugget whose talent is not in doubt. AT 21 years, he competes with excellent runners, whether in the mountains or on solitary effort.
It’s probably during the season 2019 that Pavel made international talk for the first time. He who was however not a stranger, will take a step forward during the Tour des Alpes, which he will easily win in front of his teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart, and a certain Vincenzo Nibali, a few days from the Giro. Rafal Majka, Alexandr Vlasov and even a sparkling Fausto Masnada won't be able to do anything against the young climber, impressive mastery over these few days of racing.
We place it, wrongly, as one of the favorites for the Giro. He is there to learn, and above all to finish his first Grand Tour, sa return 2018 resulting in abandonment after 14 race days. He finished 9th in this Tour of Italy, while Richard Carapaz makes a place for himself on the prize list of the event. Pavel, his, continues its journey in the Tour of Occitanie, or an 8th place awaits him at the finish. The Tour of Poland, second highlight of his season, concludes for him in an ideal way and finishes convincing his staff and the many followers of his potential, he leaves with the final victory and full of confidence for the future. He ended his season in 4th place in the general classification of the Tour of Great Britain, before giving up on the terrible Yorkshire Worlds.
Shadow and light
The season 2020 de Pavel Sivakov is therefore, Well Named, eagerly awaited. The young man concentrates the attention of the media, and the doubt that he leaves hanging over the possibility of running under the colors of France fuel the debates concerning him. For the time being, the russian banner is still hers, but a passage in the ranks of the blues is felt.
He starts his season in Australia, on the popular Tour Down Under, where he ranks 16th after working for his leaders Rohan Dennis and Dylan Van Baarle. He then distinguished himself on fairly new ground for him in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race., that he finished in 2nd place after a great breakaway alongside Dries Devenyns. Puncher in Poland, rouleur in Switzerland, and now backpacker in Australia, here’s a resourceful boy who can’t be limited to his climbing qualities. His season continues at the Tour de la Provence, without much shine, before he puts his wheels down again on the Route d'Occitanie. The cancellation of many events brought together a field of choice, with among others Egan Bernal, his teammate, Alexandr Vlasov, Thibaut Pinot, Bauke Mollema, Richie Porte, Romain Bardet… The cream of world cycling is fighting for victory on French roads, and Pavel intends to join the fight. The decision is made on the 3rd step, that he finished 2nd after taking Egan Bernal on the final ascent. He is also ahead of his compatriot Alexandr Vlasov at the same time, and will finish the next day in contact with the best, securing his 2nd place in the general classification at the same time. Since then, speculations are rife. We are early August, only three weeks before the start of the Tour de France, and he is already cited as one of the riders to follow on this Grande Boucle, which is announced to be unpredictable.
A last stop on the roads of the Dauphiné confirms its state of form, and the abandonment of Bernal propel him on the last day into a leadership role, which he assumes perfectly by taking control of the race, playing offensive to try to grab some time overall. But he suffered a fall which wastes his time, putting him in a sticky situation. He still finished 4th on the stage, just behind a certain Tadej Pogacar.
Expectations are high, Egan Bernal's difficulties, The absence of Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas leaves an interesting window for Sivakov, that we are watching more and more. But his season takes an unexpected turn from the first stage, swept away by a rain that will eventually send him to the carpet. A fall, followed by a second a few minutes later, which will cost him a long chase, and which will cost him 13 minutes upon arrival. The disappointment is terrible, the physical sequelae are just as important. Suffering every day in the peloton, Pavel holds on to his mountain leader in hope when the time comes. But Egan Bernal gives up at the start of the third week, leaving the Ineos team in a sorry state. Far from being resigned, Pavel sets off on a courageous breakaway the next day, taking 4th place on the stage and partly erasing his disappointment of the past few days. He ends the ordeal anonymously and ends his season, with a taste of incomplete…
On the way to the summits
This year 2020 particular, punctuated by an original calendar, allowed him to confirm the hopes placed in him despite this brutal end. The season 2021 therefore presents itself to him as the opportunity to establish himself as the leader he sees himself becoming, but the mission promises to be difficult. And for good reason, if the Franco-Russian has chosen a renowned team, it must also accept incomparable internal competition. Geraint Thomas, always sharp, still holds the role of captain, and Egan Bernal despite his injuries remains a leader of choice. Richard Carapaz's meteoric rise also leaves little room for Sivakov, and Tao Geoghegan Hart's surprise victory in the Giro redistributes the cards, putting him in a sticky situation. The start of a Chris Froome at the end of the race, quickly replaced by a return of Richie Porte, 3e of the last round, increase this pressure again, as the arrivals of Adam Yates and Daniel Martínez cast doubt on the hierarchy in the ranks of Dave Brailsford.
Pavel Sivakov's task in the coming months will therefore be to gradually find a place in this extremely dense team., if he wants to be able to exploit his qualities. Under contract with his training until the end of the year 2023, leaving does not seem an option, it is therefore by force of the hock that we will have to find a place. But undoubtedly it rhymes with progressivity, because in a posture as uncertain as his, the key seems to be to take it step by step, to get closer to here 2022 of co-leader status on a grand tour, at a minimum. The next step for him will therefore be to prove himself in intermediate events such as Paris Nice., Tirreno Adriatico, the Dauphiné or the Tour de Romandie. Week-long World Tour events that could boost the confidence of managers and teammates, to then head for a Grand Tour and display its ambitions. These great towers that “make dream”, by his own admission, seem to be within reach, but the rise of a whole talented generation will leave it little room for maneuver. But if Pavel joined the British team, it is not to put pressure on yourself, but to gain experience from the best. Just 23 years, no hurry, and the best thing to do is undoubtedly to continue its progress without fixing on this major objective, who will present himself to him soon enough. 2021 will it be the right year for him ?
