Former classics star and head of team Katusha, Andrei Tchmil is supporting Russian cycling with a base on the shores of Lake Garda in Italy. He built the structure for Katusha's all-Russian under 23 and 21 teams, and plans a women's team next.
"It's true, Russia has lost a little bit of its love for this sport in the last 20 years, but it remains popular even if it is expensive to get started," Tchmil told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. "We are working on this, to get the passion back."
The continental, third division under 23 and under 21 teams' base will be located in Bedizzole, between Brescia and Garda, and near the pro team's headquarters in Lonato. Tchmil converted an old villa into a team base with 30 beds and hired an in-house cook.
"You have the best conditions in the world for cycling here, an ideal micro-climate, good roads, a variety of routes and good food," he continued.
"It is a great group and I have complete faith in the sports directors and our other associates, who I personally selected one by one. The next step will be to created a women's team, then focus on specialities, like moutain bike and BMX. By 2012 we will be ready."
Tchmil has not lost sight of his ProTeam Katusha, either. He hired Alberto Losada and Dani Moreno to support Joaquím Rodríguez, who finished eight at the Tour de France and fourth at the Vuelta a España this year. And hired Leif Hoste and Aleksandr Kuschynski to help Filippo Pozzato, Alexandr Kolobnev and Serguei Ivanov in the classics.
Mario Cipollini may also join the team. When Tchmil returns from Turkmenistan, where he is with some of the riders, he will decide if he will hire the former super sprinter as a technical consultant.
"We want to do even better and win even more. We need someone like Cipollini as a mentor," Tchmil said. "I would like someone in the team that could point out any mistakes to Pozzato."
Pozzato won a stage at the Giro d'Italia this year and finished seventh at Paris-Roubaix. He placed second last year at Paris-Roubaix, a race Tchmil won in 1994.
Pozzato "has class and talent but just lacks that little bit extra that makes a huge difference, probably a bit of determination. He doesn't seem to realise that time is going by and that he will never get it back. I was more aggressive and hungry. I knew I had to win, that nobody was going to give me anything for free."
Tchmil will meet with Pozzato and the rest of his team at its first camp from December 12 to 22 in Calpe, Spain.