Russian-born Uzbek cyclist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Olga Sergeyevna Zabelinskaya (also transliteratedZabelinskaia; Ольга Серге́евна Забелинская; born 10 May 1980) is a Russian-born Uzbekistani professional racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Women's Continental TeamRoland Cycling.[5] While competing for Russia, she won three Olympic medals, before changing allegiances to Uzbekistan in 2018.[6]
Born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Zabelinskaya twice became the junior world champion in 1997, in road and track individual races. She missed the 2004 Olympics because she was having a baby. In 2006, Zabelinskaya quit competitive cycling, but returned in 2009.[7]
She qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where she won bronze medals in both the road race and the time trial.[8][9] Subsequently, she won a silver medal in the time trial at the 2016 Olympics. She is the first Russian female cyclist to win two Olympic medals in road events.
In July 2014 it was reported that Zabelinskaya had tested positive for octopamine at an international race in the spring.[10] In February 2016, she accepted an 18-month ban, which she already served and which expired in September 2015.[11]
Zabelinskaya is the daughter of the Olympic champion former cyclist Sergei Sukhoruchenkov. She was separated from her father and they first met when Zabelinskaya was 16.[12] She has three children.[13]As of August2012[update], she spends winters in Cyprus, where she trains, and summers in Saint Petersburg.[12]