Aleksandr Vlasov

This is the page about Aleksandr Vlasov, a Russian cyclist who rides for BORA-hansgrohe. He has already finished in the top five of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia and can compete with the top of the classification riders on a good day. IDLProCycling.com keeps a close eye on all news related to Vlasov, along with maintaining a biography of his career.  

After two years with Gazprom-Rusvelo, Vlasov made the move to Astana in 2020. In the COVID-19 year, he stepped up to the WorldTour and despite having only half a year to prove himself, he did so brilliantly. Third in the Route d'Occitanie and victory in the Mont Ventoux Denivelé Challenge already showed good form, but his third place in the Tour of Lombardy truly confirmed the caliber of the young Russian. He then finished fifth in the Tirreno-Adriatico and rode a strong Vuelta as a grand tour, finishing eleventh overall.

2021 proved to be a more stable cycling year than 2020, with a full race schedule from February to October. The Russian started strongly with a second place in Paris-Nice, although the Race to the Sun was just a preparation for his main goal of the year: the Giro d'Italia. After thirteen stages of that Italian race, Vlasov was the only rider still within a minute of leader Egan Bernal. However, his decline began in the third week, causing him to drop to fourth in the final classification, 6.45 minutes behind the Colombian. For the rest of 2021, he did not reach the level of the Giro and rode anonymously.

After starting several times in the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España, the Russian prepared for the Tour de France in 2022. This time not in the jersey of Astana, but in that of BORA-hansgrohe. He started the season well by winning the Tour of Valencia. In April, he also claimed victory in the prestigious Tour of Romandie.

The Tour proved challenging for Vlasov. He got through the cobbled stage unscathed, unlike others, but fell at an inconvenient moment in the hilly stage to Longwy. Miraculously, he managed to rejoin the peloton, but in the following days, he struggled with his injuries and lost time. In the third week, he found his element again and impressively rose from eleventh to fifth place in the general classification, thereby finishing this major tour in the top five as well. He will continue to ride for BORA-hansgrohe in 2023.

In 2023, the now 27-year-old Russian once again aimed for the Giro-Vuelta combination. In the Tour of Valencia at the beginning of the year, he could not extend his title, but a fifth place was still a decent performance. Afterwards, Vlasov consistently placed in the top ten, with a ninth place in Tirreno-Adriatico and a strong second place in the third stage of the Tour of the Alps behind his German teammate Lennard Kämna, until illness disrupted his preparation. Instead of a podium finish in the Tour of the Alps, he ended up 46th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Vlasov started the Giro with many uncertainties, but they were quickly dispelled with three top-ten finishes in the first nine stages. At that point the Russian from BORA-hansgrohe was seventh in the general classification, surpassing Kämna who was ninth, until illness struck again, and he had to abandon the Giro in the tenth stage.

Vlasov bounced back two months later, clinching third place in the Clasica San Sebastian and a close second in the Tour of Burgos behind Primoz Roglic. Heading into the Vuelta with renewed confidence, the Russian climber continued to notch top-ten finishes. He shone in the time trial to Valladolid, securing fifth place. Although it appeared his younger Belgian teammate Cian Uijtdebroeks might outperform him in the general classification, Vlasov managed to surpass him in the penultimate stage, finishing seventh overall. The Russian, who will remain with BORA-hansgrohe in the coming season, wrapped up the year with a commendable fourth place in Il Lombardia.