After a fourth, fifth, and eighth place in the last three stages, today was finally Petr Rikunov's day at the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai. With a decisive sprint in the very last meters at the Haiyan finish line, the 1997 Russian managed to leave everyone behind, conquering a prestigious victory for both himself and his team (the Chengdu DYC Cycling Team), as neither had ever celebrated a success in a race of this level before.

"I'm extremely happy, I don't know what to say, I'm truly feeling so much emotion. This race was definitely very important for me and my team because it's one of the most important races in China. The last few days were really tough, but I really wanted to succeed here... for me and for all of us, this is truly a fantastic day," Rikunov told our microphones before explaining how he and his team worked to reach this moment of triumph.

"Today's wasn't a classic sprint because there were no pure sprinters and the group was large but not compact, which was an ideal situation for me. Talking with my teammates, both this morning and after the climbs, we told each other to race like there was no tomorrow. We decided to keep the pace high in the long flat section before the finish to prevent dropped sprinters from returning like last year, and to sprint in a not fully compact peloton, even though I would find myself shoulder to shoulder with very strong riders like Zanoncello and Grosu. I told myself to try, and until the last kilometer, I wasn't in a good position. Then, following the Astana train, I found myself in a perfect position and, knowing this was my last real chance since more powerful riders would be back in play tomorrow, I gave it my all. My teammates did superb work all day, and I absolutely must thank them."

With full team support, Rikunov thus secured what is by far the most important victory of his career, an achievement he hopes will represent a significant turning point in his professional cycling journey.

"I think, or at least I hope, that after today my career can change because this is a truly significant victory. Many believe that the level in China is different from the European one, but the truth is that nowadays there are high-profile races here, as evidenced by the startlists like that of Qinghai, with World Tour and ProTeam formations fielding quality rosters," said the Russian rider, who came to race in China and defend the colors of a local team after the well-known closure of Gazprom-Rusvelo in the spring of 2022, coinciding with the start of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

"I would have liked to sign with other teams, even Spanish or Italian, but with the war, I knew it would be impossible because I know how things go. I'm Russian and, although it shouldn't be this way, political issues also influence cycling. So, after 5-6 months of training at home following the team's closure, my manager sent me a message asking if I wanted to race in China with a local team. I accepted, also because in Russia I could at most compete in amateur-level clubs, and I signed my first contract here. I started with small races, then moved to China Pro League races, where the overall level is quite good, until reaching this year's calendar with races like Tour of Hainan, Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, and Tour de Langkawi, which are all good for next season."

Next season in which, strengthened by the improvements in numbers and power in recent months (result of a clear change in training methodology), Rikunov fully intends to confirm the good things he's shown in this 2025, trying to string together the recent significant results by calling upon all the freshness, tenacity, and determination he possesses.

"At 28, I still consider myself young and think that everything I'm doing and achieving now can represent a new beginning for me. When I was in Gazprom, everything was different, I spent time working for other riders and had no opportunities to play my own cards. After the closure, I found myself racing for myself, setting out to try to achieve those results that, little by little, by keep trying, have arrived. An example is the Tour of Poyang Lake from last year, which, although not a high-level race, I brought home."

In his case too, just like what happened (in different times and ways) for other former Gazprom members, it can be said that the circle has definitively closed today. Like guys such as Scaroni, Malucelli, Conci, Carboni, Rikunov has also found a way to re-emerge and make people talk about him again after struggling to carve out space and visibility in professional cycling. With those Italian guys, the Russian rider shared part of his career and a destiny that now, curiously, sees them all, more or less, taking revenge and finding satisfaction. Rikunov, for his part, as he told us, has not forgotten them at all.

"I'm still in touch with the former Gazprom riders. Here at Qinghai, I often talk with Carboni. Yesterday in the finale we were together and worked to get back to the group ahead of us, helping each other since others weren't collaborating, but at a certain point he dropped off. With him, I'm friends just like with Scaroni, Velasco, Canola... I'm happy for everything they're achieving, for Scaroni's victories, for Velasco now being at the Tour de France... they're all good guys who work hard and are now reaching the results they deserve," concluded the Chengdu DYC Cycling Team rider with a big smile.