Raimondas Vilčinskas (born 5 July 1977 in Panevėžys) is a retired Lithuanian professional road and track cyclist.[1] He represented his nation Lithuania as part of the men's cycling squad in two editions of the Olympic Games (1996 and 2004), and later competed as a member of and a pro cycling rider for Palmans-Ideal, Mróz–Supradyn Witaminy, and Jartazi Granville Team, before his official retirement in late 2005.[2][3]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Raimondas Vilčinskas |
| Born | 5 July 1977 Panevėžys, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road, track |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Pursuit |
| Professional teams | |
| 1999–2000 | Palmans-Ideal |
| 2001–2002 | Mróz–Supradyn Witaminy |
| 2005 | Jartazi Granville Team |
| Major wins | |
| |
Vilcinskas made his official debut as an amateur rider at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where he competed along with his fellow cyclists Linas Balčiūnas, Raimondas Rumšas, Remigijus Lupeikis, and Ivanas Romanovas in the men's road race, but did not finish the course.[4] During his amateur career, Vilcinskas had awarded a silver medal in the same discipline at the 1997 Lithuanian championships, but turned himself into pro in 1999 with Belgium's Palmans-Legal cycling team, and thereby picked up his first career title at the Memorial Philippe Van Coningsloo.
When Palmans-Legal folded after the 2000 season, Vilcinskas signed a two-year contract with Poland's Mróz–Supradyn Witaminy.[5][6] In 2002, he became a Lithuanian champion in the time trial at the elite tournament in Vilnius, before leaving his pro cycling team to turn his sights on the men's track team pursuit by the following year.[7] In early 2004, Vilcinskas posted a fastest time of 4.05.305 to share his gold medals with Linas Balčiūnas, Aivaras Baranauskas, and Tomas Vaitkus during the final match against Ukraine in the men's team pursuit at the opening leg of the UCI World Cup Series in Moscow, Russia.[8]
Eight years after competing in his last Olympics, Vilcinskas qualified for his second Lithuanian squad, as a 27-year-old, in the men's team pursuit at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens based on the nation's selection process from the UCI Track World Rankings.[3][9] He delivered the Lithuanian foursome of Balčiūnas, Baranauskas, and Ignatas Konovalovas an eighth-place time of 4:08.812 in the prelims before his team was later relegated and overlapped to an aggressive Aussie squad of Graeme Brown, Brett Lancaster, Brad McGee, and Luke Roberts in the fourth match round.[10]
Career highlights edit
- 1997
- 2nd Lithuanian Championships (Road), Lithuania
- 1999
- 1st Antwerpse Havenpijl, Belgium
- 1st Memorial Philippe Van Coningsloo, Belgium
- 2001
- 3rd Stage 1, Tour of Poland, Sopot (POL)
- 2002
- 1st
Lithuanian Championships (ITT), Lithuania - 2nd Prologue, Tour de Normandie, Mondeville (FRA)
- 3rd Stage 4, Tour of Poland, Zielona Góra (POL)
- 2003
- 2nd Lithuanian Championships (ITT), Lithuania
- 2004
UCI World Cup (Team pursuit), Moscow (RUS)- 2nd Lithuanian Championships (Road), Lithuania
- 8th Olympic Games (Team pursuit), Athens (GRE)
- 2005
- 2nd Stage 3, Tour de l'Eurometropole, Quiévrain (FRA)
References edit
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Raimondas Vilčinskas". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ^ "Lietuvių startai Atėnų olimpinėse žaidynėse" [Lithuanians have started the Athens Olympics] (in Lithuanian). Vakarų ekspresas. 10 August 2004. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Patvirtintas 2004 metų Atėnų olimpiados kandidatų sąrašas" [The list of candidates has been approved for the 2004 Athens Olympics] (in Lithuanian). Delfi. 22 November 2002. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ "Atlanta 1996: Cycling – Men's Road Race" (PDF). Atlanta 1996. LA84 Foundation. p. 192. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ^ Quenet, Jean-François (2 March 2002). "Second crown for Team Krone's sprinter". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ "Raimondas Vilčinskas prarado lyderio poziciją" [Raimondas Vilčinskas had lost his leadership position] (in Lithuanian). Delfi. 1 May 2001. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ "Lietuvos dviratininkams teks verstis be R.Rumšas" [Lithuanian cyclists will have to continue and manage without Raimondas Rumšas] (in Lithuanian). Delfi. 1 October 2002. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ "Mirabella, Reed, lead Americans in Moscow". USA Cycling. 14 February 2004. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ "Lietuvos dviračių treko rinktinei įteikti olimpinės rinktinės narių ženklai" [Lithuanian track cycling team has assigned its members for the Olympic squad] (in Lithuanian). Delfi. 3 August 2004. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ "Cycling: Men's Team Pursuit". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
External links edit
- Raimondas Vilčinskas at Cycling Archives