Dominated in Spain: Mykolaiv female cyclists brought home medals and top finishes

18–19 April 2026, prestigious international cycling events were held in Spain, where athletes from Mykolaiv successfully represented their school. The most notable was an alumna of the city SDYUSSHOR cycling school, Valeriya Ponomarenko.

18 April, as part of the Challenge CV Elche tournament, Valeriya Ponomarenko won the bronze medal in the general classification among elite women. In addition, she took second place in the sprint classification. The very next day, 19 April, at the Copa de España CV competition among athletes under 23 years, the Mykolaiv rider again showed a strong result and became first in the sprint classification.

Another representative of Mykolaiv’s SDYUSSHOR — Yuliya Pchelintseva — also performed admirably: in the general classification among women under 23 years she placed fifth. Both athletes are coached by Stanislav Nebaba and Olena Budovitska.

For the Mykolaiv region, this result is also important because the Mykolaiv cycling school consistently produces high results not only in Ukraine but also at the international level. Previously Valeriya Ponomarenko and Yuliya Pchelintseva had already been among the prize-winners and winners at national competitions, and in spring 2026 Mykolaiv’s female cyclists again climbed the podium of the Ukrainian Championship.