They shouted "Glory to Ukraine!" at me: Ukrainian at the Tour de France

Ukrainian Sergiy Krasnov has cycled the route of the legendary Tour de France cycling race . The 3,500-kilometer bike ride is divided into 21 stages and is one of the three most prestigious cycling events in the world. The event annually brings together hundreds of professional cyclists and many times more fans of the sport. Last year, Serhii already covered a similar distance in Ukraine as part of a charity project to support residents of Kherson region. After all, he is from the Left Bank, from the city of Nova Kakhovka. This year, the cyclist decided to ride the roads of France the day before the official stages. All to draw the international community's attention to our country and raise funds for humanitarian demining. Details are in an exclusive material by Intent.

Terrain, weather, security situation: the difference between the two countries

Serhiy Krasnov says that after the Tour de France Ukraine initiative was implemented in the summer of 2024, he realized that he had sufficient physical and moral potential for multi-day long-distance cycling. Therefore, he set out to implement a more global charity project to support our country. I decided to do it in the historical homeland of the grand tour - France.

In terms of distance and stages, the "LaGrandeBoucle" route (French for "big loop") on Ukrainian roads was equivalent to the French route. Despite the experience of its completion , the training continued in an enhanced format. Its peculiarities were primarily due to the difference in the natural terrain of the two countries.

During the grand tour, Serhiy was supported by participants and fans

"Ukraine has mostly flat terrain, especially in the southern regions. France, on the other hand, has a large part of mountain ranges, such as the Alps in the southeast or the Pyrenees in the southwest. So there is a very big difference in altitude. Of course, I should have gone to the Carpathian Mountains to train. I didn't have that opportunity, so I trained in the conditions I had. It wasn't enough, the terrain was too difficult, so I had to buy the necessary elements for additional equipment on the spot," says Serhii.

Another difference is the weather conditions. In Ukraine, the athlete had to ride in an abnormal heat wave, with the highest temperature recorded at 46 degrees in the sun. In France, the maximum temperature was 35-36 degrees Celsius, and even then it was only for a few days. Instead, the real challenge was the rain.

"I started in the north of the country, where it rained for two days and the temperature was 15 degrees. Later, the weather caught me in the mountains. In total, I rode three more stages of the tournament in the rain with low temperatures. I actually like this kind of weather, but only if it's warm. Here it was very cold, and I had to put on extra clothes. It was especially difficult during the descents from the passes, it was a nightmare. And after two stages with such weather, the main video camera stopped working, the equipment was simply flooded with water. Later on, I used the backup camera," says Sergey Krasnov.

He notes another fact. Despite the security situation in France - unlike in Ukraine, where they had to control air raids and correct their route in the frontline regions due to the threat of Russian shelling and drone attacks - there was no less anxiety. After all, his family remained at home. So Serhiy still kept the situation under control.

Sergiy Krasnov was the only Ukrainian in the Tour de France 2025 race

A world-class event - the Tour de France

Sergiy Krasnov took the Tour de France route the day before the main cycling race, because according to international standards, he has an amateur level. According to the rules, only professional athletes are allowed to participate in the main competition. There are 21 teams of 8 participants. All of them are representatives of the top division of cycling. However, anyone can try their hand at it, just like the Ukrainian did. The rules for overcoming the distance are no different for them.

"It's three weeks divided into 21 stages with two days of rest. Every day, on average, I traveled from 160 to 212 kilometers. In total, I covered a distance of 3,430 kilometers and gained an altitude of 51.5 kilometers. I started in a certain place and finished in the same place. The distance between the stages ranged from 30 to 515 kilometers, so I traveled by car. With the car travel, it turned out to be 13,200 kilometers in a month," explains Sergiy.

This year, Sergiy Krasnov was the only representative of Ukraine in the race. He does not hide the fact that few of our athletes dare to overcome the grand tour, because it requires considerable effort: time, money, psychological, etc. That's why Serhiy calls the Tour de France his first and only large-scale cycling event of this level. It is worth noting that the man rode this high endurance distance at the age of 56.

Volodymyr Okorokov and Serhiy Krasnov

"It was my first time in France, and I hadn't had a chance to go there before. It was an emotional and interesting experience. On the first day of my visit, I couldn't hold back my tears from what I saw. Namely, from the way people treat cycling, how they love and honor everything related to it. To understand, on the eve of the event, thousands of fans come together to take their place along the route. People in motorhomes, cars, bicycles, and tents stay for several days, waiting for the race participants to pass by in a 5-minute drive. And then they move on to the next stage. So when you're driving on a pass and see that there's not a single free place on the roadside, it's so inspiring, it's hard to put into words," says Sergey Krasnov.

He adds that the fans supported each athlete with great enthusiasm. However, when they saw that Serhiy was Ukrainian, the reaction was even more powerful. The cyclist was wearing a blue and yellow uniform, and the car that accompanied him had national flags. The driver was Volodymyr Okorokov, a master of sports in cycling, motocross and motorsports from the city of Dnipro.

"The support was overwhelming. I was greeted by all the fans. I even heard them shouting "Glory to Ukraine!" several times. I received no less attention from my fellow racers and cyclists. There were numerous cases when a person rode towards me, but then turned around, caught up with me, and we rode for some time talking. And after 50-60 kilometers, they would turn around again and go home. That motivated me the most," Serhiy recalls.

The man also received inspiration and strength from his fellow countrymen. They wrote words of support and gratitude to Serhiy. The athlete recorded each stage of the race on camera and posted it on the Internet.

The car that accompanied Sergiy

10 thousand dollars for humanitarian demining

Just like last year, Serhiy Krasnov turned his cycling race into a charity fundraising project. This year, he held it together with the United24 platform, which makes it possible to attract a foreign audience.

To do this, a website was created for the project, which tells about Serhiy and describes the idea and purpose of the initiative. The link was actively shared on various social networks and media. Business cards were also made, which the athlete handed out during the race. As a result, about 10 thousand dollars were raised for humanitarian demining in Ukraine.

Sergey Krasnov during the race on the legendary French route

"I am very pleased with what happened. It is probably only possible to ride the Tour de France course in France once in a lifetime, given all the circumstances. And the grand tour is not for everyone. It's a really difficult task, and I have accomplished it. It is theoretically possible to repeat it, but practically difficult due to the cost of many resources. In addition, I have put a useful action on my favorite sport. With this project, I once again drew the world's attention to Ukraine and raised funds for humanitarian demining. I think it's the right thing to do. I'm doing what I can in my position for our country," says Krasnov.

When asked what to expect next year, the cyclist says with a smile that he promised his wife that this would be his last project. Moreover, he doesn't know what else to come up with yet. At the same time, he does not hide the fact that if he has the opportunity to help his cause with fundraising, he will not stand aside.

All photos provided by the interviewee.

Work on this material was made possible by the Fight for Facts project, which is implemented with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Яніна Надточа, Віктор Турецький

I was shouted "Glory to Ukraine!": a Ukrainian on the Tour de France track

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Terrain, weather, security situation: the difference between the two countries </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>A world-class event - the Tour de France</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>10 thousand dollars for humanitarian demining </span></span></span></span></span></span>

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