Written by TEAM BOBYN at 12:26 26/6-2026
If destiny ever sculpted a cyclist out of cobblestones, stubbornness, and questionable life choices, it would look suspiciously like Kuzma Obratzov, born and raised in the Ukrainian cobblestone capital of Lviv — a city where even the sidewalks are designed to test your suspension, your dental fillings, and your will to live.
Growing up in Lviv meant Kuzma learned to ride a bike the way most children learn to walk: by falling repeatedly on ancient, uneven stones polished smooth by centuries of horse carts and tourists. While other kids practiced wheelies, Kuzma practiced survival. His first coach famously said, “If the boy can stay upright on Lviv cobbles, he can stay upright anywhere.” This was immediately followed by Kuzma hitting a pothole and flying into a fruit stand, but the sentiment remained inspirational.
His surname, Obratzov, meaning model or pattern, became a running joke in his early career. Teammates teased him for being “a model cyclist,” though mostly because he spent more time posing dramatically after crashes and chasing girls than actually racing. But the name stuck, and eventually Kuzma embraced it — even incorporating it into his signature victory salute, which looked suspiciously like a puppet master pulling invisible strings. Rumor has it his great?grandfather was a puppeteer, and Kuzma insists that his bike is simply “a marionette with wheels.”
Despite his theatrical tendencies, Obratzov’s career took a professional turn during an amateur race on the cobbles in neighbouring Poland. His legendary Year of Reckoning, known among Ukrainian fans as The Season Kuzma Finally Stopped Crashing He won and came to the attention of Belgium Cycling scouts from Antwerp based team Joco and duly signed up on professional terms in S66 at the relatively mature age of 24.
His career started slowly, mainly at a Cobbles domestique and after two seasons learning his trade in Belgium a longing to return to his homeland beckoned and in S68 he duly signed for TB.
Again it took a while for Kuzma to settle but in S69 he came of age. That year he delivered a string of unexpectedly brilliant performances, including a podium finish in a brutally windy stage where half the peloton was blown sideways into a ditch. Kuzma raised on Lviv cobblestones and emotional resilience, simply lowered his head and pedaled through the chaos like a man late for dinner.
The same year His crowning achievement came when he earned selection to the Ukrainian National Team, where he delivered his best-ever performances. In the National Colors, Mykola became a different rider — focused, determined, and only occasionally distracted by roadside puppets.
His standout ride was a heroic breakaway win on the dirt roads of Ambalamanakana, Madagascar in S72 where he spent 60 km off the front, powered entirely by pride, adrenaline, and an alarming amount of beet soup consumed the night before. He very nearly clocked two wins that season with a similar break on the Astana Cobbles but this time he was eventually caught with 3 km to go, the effort cemented his reputation as a national hero — or at least a national entertainer. He later claimed he wasn’t caught because he was tired, but because “the invisible puppet strings got tangled.”
Today, Kuzma Obratzov remains a beloved figure in Ukrainian cycling: a rider forged on cobblestones, guided by the spirit of puppetry, and fueled by a determination that borders on performance art. Whether he’s attacking, defending, or accidentally riding into a café terrace, one thing is certain — he always puts on a show. He will be missed - but it is great that the Model will be staying on to continue to teach the next round of TB cobblists.
CAREER SUMMARY
Races: 166 (150 for TB)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 2
Best Tour GC: n/a
Placements: 3
Highest ever Ranking: 1092nd (S72)
International Caps: 7
Best Win (as a TB rider): S72 D5 Ambalamanakana - Ranomafana
Best Podium Performance: S69 D4 La Serenissima Repubblica
Highest ever Divisional Performance: As above
Best Div 1 N/A
Best Div 1.1 N/A
Best Div 2 N/A
Best Div3 N/A
Best Div4 As above
Best Div5 As above
Best Div6 S74 7th Kovel - Kovel
Best Div7 S67 19th Les Collines de Grande Comore (for Team Joco)
Best Div8 N/A
Div9-Div 11 N/A
Ukraine Club Records:
S69 D4 7th Pidhirne - Zhuravky, Obraztsov
Best Performance: N/A
Best International Performance:
S72 45th WTB Lozuvatka - Kryvyi Rih
S69 16th WTC Wexford - Dublin (WT)
Best CON performance. S74 86th CoN Paris
Comrade Cup Title x 3 (S72 (1 caps) & S74 (1 caps) & S76 (1 caps)
U23 Honours - N/A
Tour Record (* Club Record)
EL COUPE (D4) N/A
Av. Rating S71 39th
Best stage Performance: S70th 13th La Coupe de la Soif Éternelle
EDMONTON (D4) (G/C n/A)
Av. Pos (S71) 111th
Best stage Performance:(S71) 95th Edmonton Red Deer Tour
MONTE ROSA GC n/A
Av. Rating (D5) S77 104th
Best stage Performance: S77 65th Bern - Lausanne #52
EL COROZON (D5) N/A
Av.Pos. S69 29th
Best Stage Performance: 4th S69 San Miguel de Allende - San Miguel de Allende
FAST ON WHEELS (D5) G/C n/A
Av. Pos S74 109th
Best stage Performance: (S74) 78th Århus - Vejle #56
CESKO (D6) G/C n/a
Av. Pos (S74) 60th
Best stage Performance: (S74) 43rd Bratislava ITT
D6 ORYX GC n/a
Av Pos (S76) 142nd
Best stage performance (S76) 139th Rehoboth – Windhoek (Großherzog Friedrich Berg)
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