Mikhail Ignatiev (cyclist)

Mikhail Borisovich Ignatiev (Михаил Борисович Игнатьев) (born 7 May 1985) is a former Russian professional track and road bicycle racer. He recently rode for UCI ProTour team Team Katusha,[1] as well as participating in various track events. He is known as a time trial specialist, and also has a reputation for making the breakaway in road races and trying, often with success, to solo to victory.

Mikhail Ignatiev
Ignatiev at the 2011 Tour de Romandie
Personal information
Full nameMikhail Borisovich Ignatiev
NicknameGambero
Born (1985-05-07) 7 May 1985 (age 39)
Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight67 kg (148 lb)
Team information
DisciplineRoad
Track
RoleRider
Rider typeTime trialist
Classic cycle races
Amateur team
2004–2005Lokomotiv
Professional teams
2006–2008Tinkoff Restaurants
2009–2014Team Katusha
Medal record
Representing  Russia
Men's road bicycle racing
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Madrid Under-23 Time Trial
Silver medal – second place 2006 Salzburg Under-23 Time Trial
Silver medal – second place 2007 Stuttgart Under-23 Time Trial
Men's track cycling
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens Points race
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing Madison
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Mallorca Points race

Career

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In 2004 Ignatiev achieved his biggest success to date, winning a gold medal in the points race at the Athens Olympics. On the road, Ignatiev came to prominence with his ability in the individual time trial. In 2002 and 2003, he was the World Junior Champion, while in 2005 he became the World Under 23 Champion.

Ignatiev signed his first professional contract in 2006, when he started riding for the Tinkoff Restaurants cycling team. This team competed mainly in Russia, but Ignatiev made a big impact during a series of Spanish races in the middle part of the season.

When Tinkoff Credit Systems was established from Tinkoff Restaurants in 2007, Ignatiev moved to Marina di Massa, Italy. Early in the 2007 cycling season, Ignatiev made a name for himself by winning a stage of the Tour Méditerranéen and the Trofeo Laigueglia with successful late attacks. He continued his form throughout the season and won two time trials, the Prologue in Ster Elektrotoer, Stage 4 of the Regio-Tour and the first stage of Vuelta a Burgos.

In the 2009 cycling season he moved to UCI World Tour Team Katusha, a newly formed Russian cycling team, sponsored by Itera, Gazprom and Rostechnologies. In his first season, he achieved some greatest results having taken two podiums at 2009 Tour de France.

Career achievements

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Major results

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Grand Tour general classification results timeline

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Grand Tour 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
  Giro d'Italia 128 140 167 131 143
  Tour de France 140 147
  Vuelta a España 104 148 171
Legend
Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

References

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  1. ^ "Team Katusha (KAT) – RUS". UCI World Tour. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
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