After an extended time of service, TB are sad to announce the calling of time on Oleg "Tekkie" Myatlev. A popular member of TB and a favourite with the fans and deserving of his place in TB hall of fame as the team's most capped international rider and unstinting technical loyalty to TB. It was sad to see however that Myaltev's career was blighted at key moments by mechanical issues, crashes and injuries to thwart him truly becoming one of the world greats.
One of the greatest technical riders to come out of Uzbekistan, his background was rather unconventional. Born in Tashkent to a Russo-Ukrainian Father whose family was sent to Central Asia as a political dissident and a Uzbek mother. His father worked at the Plannning Dept at the Uzbek Central Committee and his mother was a local artist and in fact his family moved around the small and niche Bohemian set in Tashkent. Myaltev had a ann...
Read moreAfter an extended time of service, TB are sad to announce the calling of time on Oleg "Tekkie" Myatlev. A popular member of TB and a favourite with the fans and deserving of his place in TB hall of fame as the team's most capped international rider and unstinting technical loyalty to TB. It was sad to see however that Myaltev's career was blighted at key moments by mechanical issues, crashes and injuries to thwart him truly becoming one of the world greats.
One of the greatest technical riders to come out of Uzbekistan, his background was rather unconventional. Born in Tashkent to a Russo-Ukrainian Father whose family was sent to Central Asia as a political dissident and a Uzbek mother. His father worked at the Plannning Dept at the Uzbek Central Committee and his mother was a local artist and in fact his family moved around the small and niche Bohemian set in Tashkent. Myaltev had a annoying habit of being good at everything he applied himself to whether Academia, Music, Sport or Culture and he soon came to the attention of local powers that be and was groomed at an early age to be the President's Daughter's Plaything.
Oleg was having none of it and at the age of 15 during a school exchange trip to Europe, he absconded and spent the next few years travelling and busking his way around Europe. His parents were promptly arrested and sent to the Cotton Farms for his transgressions. At 17 Oleg, settled in Rotterdam and he started to develop his career as a underground DJ (known as DJ TashTek) in the Hardcore Industrial Techno scene (aka gabber). At 19 in the midst of a particularly hard non-stop 72 hour drug-fuelled session with some associates of Dutch cycling team Biertje, Myatlev had an epiphany and decided at that moment he wanted a career change and become a pro-cyclist.
He impressed team Biertje and signed pro-terms in S40, but going straight into D3 racing was tough for the young Uzbek and he was released after 4 races. Through contacts he heard of a new team being developed across the Channel who were seeking unconventional talent and were developing a brash, confident youth academy. On this basis Myatlev travelled across the water, impressed and quickly signed terms with TB and become in his first season and key player in the team's U23 Championship success in S41 and picking up his first place which he replicated again the following season. S42 also saw Myatlev return to the fold with the Uzbekistan NT with his first WT race following a personal intervention from NT Manager Mal which also saw his previous transgressions forgiven and his family released from imprisonment (it also helped that the previous President had passed away).
After leaving the academy the next few years (S43-S48) were a tough baptism of fire although he continually picked up NT rides and the occassional place. However his technical ability came through leaps and bounds.
S49 saw Myaltev came of age with two podiums and a place and he was promptly rewarded with the position of Vice-Captain. He went even better the following season by securing his first win at the "Kras" and 5 placements to achieve his highest global ranking of 1025th and for a short brief period Myatlev held the Uzbek NT jersey. Myatlev continued to put in big rides and hold the Vice-Captaincy through to S54 although he saw his role more and more as playing second lead-out fiddle to Spearman in the sprints. S53 was however a catalyst for Myatlev, captaining TB on a emotional return home soil in the Tien Shan Stione City Tour, he performed superbly in the first two races but a crash in the final stage all but ended up his chances of a GC and he rolled in 13th. A brave but sad end. SHortly after Myatlev relinquished his Vice-Captaincy role and played a more of support role for the upcoming sprint by the TB "Solicitors" Spearman and Trourbaugh.
A popular, unconventional rider, popular with teammates and fans alike both in Ukraine and Uzbekistan and one of the greatest Technical Riders in Uzbekistan and the first TB riders to make a genuine impact on the INternational stage through his 50+ WT rides. Sadly missed although his legacy lives on as he moves into a coaching role with TB with a particular remit of overseeing the development of fellow young Uzbek technical wizard Innokenty Yenotov who promises to be even better.
Key Stats:(*TB records)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 4
Tour GC: S50 19th Monte Rosa Tour, S51 13th Tien Shen Stone Cup
Classics: 0
Placements: 20
Highest ever Ranking: 1029th (S50)
International Caps: 53 (Uzbekistan)*
Best Podium Performance: 1st D7 Krasnoarmiis´k Cobblestone Race #35 (S50)
Highest ever Divisional Performance: 125th D3 Lappi Sea GP2 #33 (S40)
Best Div3 Performance: As Above
Best Div4 Performance: 19th Sønder Tranders GP #42 (S51)
Best Div5 Performance: 4th Århus - Reusel - Eindhoven #42 (S53)
Best Div6 Performance: 5th Hopetoun - Rainbow #39 (S51)
Best Div7 Performance: As Above
Best Div8 Performance: 9th Haguenau ITT #28 (S45)
Best Div9 Performance: Not competed
Best Div10 Performance: Not competed
Best Div11 Performance: Not competed
Best ND Performance: 6th Portmore - Bath Fountain (U23) #9 (S41)
Ukraine Record
1st D7 Krasnoarmiis´k Cobblestone Race #35 (S50)
Best International Performance
9th S52 Lozuvatka - Kryvyi Rih (WT) #32
S51 Part of Uzbekistan's Comrade Cup Winning Squad
U23 Honours
S41 U23 Champions (category 501-800)
Tour Record
Minutemen (D4)
GC N/A
Av.Pos. S54 132nd
Best Stage Performance: (S54) 90th Revere’s Midnight Ride (ITT) #39
Giro di Sicilia (D4)
GC N/A
Av.Pos. S51 63rd
Best Stage Performance: (S51) 53rd Catania - Siracusa #25
Monte Rosa Tour (D5)
GC - (S50) 19th*
Av.Pos - (S50) 37th*
Best Stage Performance:(S50) Geneve-Geneve 6th
Tian Shen Stone City Cup (D5)
GC: (S53) 13th
Av.Pos. (S53) 19th
Best Stage Performance:
(S53) Atakent - Toshkent & Toshkentn-Toshkent both 9th
Fast on Wheels (D5)
GC N/A
Av.Pos. (S52) 50th
Best Stage Performance: (S52) Odense-Kobenhaven 11th*
Oryx (D6)
Best GC: N/A
Best Av. Place: (S49) 79th
Best Stage Perf: (S49) 46th St. Oshakati – Namutoni #8
Cesko-Slovensky-Pohar (D6)
GC: N/A
Av.Pos. S51 30th
Best Stage Performance: S51 11th Bratislava TT #3
Four River Cup (D7)
GC N/A
Av.Pos S50 32nd
Best stage Performance S50 10th Tisza - Mures #2