Alexander Kocherzhuk: former pro, Onbike store and Belarusian cycling

Guest

Useful from the issue

1. An independent plan easily leads to overreaching

   Even with the experience of a professional, Alexander overtrained in the first year without a coach. If you can afford a coach, it pays off with objectivity and time saved.

2. Changing a coach is normal

   A change of coach is not a conflict, but a new approach, which sometimes gives the body a fresh stimulus. You can stay on good terms with the old coach.

3. Medical education of a trainer is a plus

   A coach-doctor understands supplements, health, and scientific data better and is less susceptible to trendy social media trends.

4. Choose starts not for the sake of the podium

   The place depends on the level of the opponents. Going to a strong category and growing is more useful than looking for weak races for the sake of a podium.

5. The steering wheel on gravel is slightly wider

   Alexander found an extremely narrow handlebar on a gravel bike to be too twitchy; he rides with a 40 cm handlebar on gravel and 38 cm on the road.

6. Cheap sensors and gadgets are more expensive in nerves

   A $100 power meter is almost always worse than a $500 meter: it loses connection and crashes. You can save on equipment for the start, but be careful with measurements.

7. Chinese brand — only with a single price

   The store should take Chinese brands that hold the same price in all markets, otherwise customers will measure from you and order on the marketplace.

8. In the agreement with China, say everything

   The Chinese partners are doing what they agreed on, but anything that is not agreed may turn out to be anything.

From sports school to Europe

Alexander got into cycling by accident: a folding bike was stolen on the third day, his parents refused to buy a new one, and he went to the section where the bike was given. The first years did not shine, then he became a prize-winner of the republic by age and moved on to a coach who considered it normal to arrange athletes in foreign teams.

At the age of 18, he left for the Swiss regional team and spent about three years there. He recalls the generation of Belarusians of the mid-80s, who then got into the strongest professional teams, including the world Time trial champion Vasily Kiriyenko. The main lesson from abroad is that the team evaluates not only strength, but also psychotype — discipline, adequacy and ability to perform their role, because the leader wins, and everyone works for him.

Triathlon and return to cycling

Once a professional, Alexander considered triathletes to be weak cyclists, but he came to the triathlon to overcome the fear of open water: first sprint, then halves, full distances and selection for the World Championships. He respects triathlon as a harmonious sport for an ordinary person, but he has never learned how to watch its broadcasts.

Everything was changed by the UCI Gran Fondo amateur race in Hainan: nostalgia for the peloton of 300 people turned out to be so strong that he declared 2026 the year of cycling. There he also qualified for the amateur World Championship in Japan, although he punctured a tire and was pumped up by a pump. The plans include the Tsar Grader, a 200—kilometer race on Snowballs, "Three Mountains" and, possibly, the UCI gravel selection in Warsaw.

What is Belarusian cycling like

The market is small: about 160 people come to the road race at all ages, about five major road starts per season, and the Belarusian grandfondo series — not related to the UCI — has planned Novogrudok, Golshany and Sapotkin for 2026. The main problem is coordination: it is almost impossible to block the avenue in Minsk for the whole day. Alexander invites Russian racers to come: guests add a lot to the competition.

Another pain point is too many age categories: with a hundred participants, dozens of people can climb the podium. Alexander, as a sponsor, has been persuading organizers for a long time to switch to clusters by strength. He also gives good examples: the Minsk Triathlon, which gathered about 2500 participants thanks to an enthusiastic head of the federation, and the amateur online gravel ride 'Stones 200', where you need to ride a gravel route in a week, and participants come up with their own nominations.

Why does an amateur need a trainer

The first year in triathlon, Alexander trained himself — a physical teacher by education, with a Soviet school of volumes — and caught a hard overtraining. Since then, he has been convinced that if a coach can afford and does not drive him into debt, he should be taken. The coach removes the burden of planning, which takes an hour and a half a week, and evaluates you more objectively than yourself. To compete even among amateurs, he said, you need about 15 hours of training per week, and the paid plan disciplines.

His first coach was a Belarusian working as a doctor in Germany: medical education for Alexander is an important plus, such a specialist understands scientific literature, and does not train on stories. Now he is working with a trainer whose approach is built around lactate. Changing a coach, in his opinion, is normal — it's not a divorce: different approaches sometimes give the body a new impetus.

And separately — about goals. At the age of 40, everyone has a different background, so racing only where a podium is guaranteed is stupid: the place is determined by the level of rivals. He sees amateur sports as personal overcoming and sports tourism, and it is pointless to sacrifice health for the sake of results — and even more so to take amateur doping.

Bike business in a small country

Onbike grew from being a mechanic and salesperson in a large chain around 2014: first a workshop at the store, then their own supplies, then an independent store with a focus on road cycling, gravel, and triathlon. Now it has a workshop, a bike fit studio in partnership with bikefit.ru, and brands like Giant, POC, Northwave, Thule, and Knog. Customers need to be taught: a person with an expensive house and car sincerely doesn't understand how a bicycle can cost several thousand dollars.

Difficulties — sanctions and small volumes: an order from Europe can get stuck due to new restrictions, and a small store cannot buy in bulk directly from manufacturers and pays intermediaries. Against this background, private carriers with lower prices are winning. With Chinese brands, he advises working only with those who keep the same price in all countries, otherwise the store turns into a fitting room for AliExpress.

Is it worth starting a bike business now? Alexander believes that it is worthwhile if you are driven not only by the desire to earn money: an empty field is an opportunity. Today, a small workshop can be opened from about $ 5,000, a bike fit studio will cost more, and it's easier to find an investor for a good business plan for growth. The name, in his opinion, does not solve much: a good name will not save a bad product.

China, Shop and traffic police team

Alexander has been to China four times. Chinese partners, in his experience, strictly keep their agreements, but anything that is not discussed can be done in any way. There is huge competition among cycling brands within the country: Winspace will come to Belarus, and a bike with electronics for starting on the road or gravel can be assembled for about $3500–4000. At the same time, budget frames and Chinese electronics can be capricious. He refused copies of famous aero helmets for ethical reasons and is looking for brands with their own design.

For 2026, a team with two sponsors, manufacturers of equipment and electronics, is gathering around the store; negotiations have been going on for two months, and the main obstacle was the modest figures of Belarusian starts and social networks. At the Chinese race, a friend's team even earned about a thousand dollars in prize money, so next season they want to assemble a strong Belarusian six.

Another front is the relationship with the traffic police, which essentially drove cyclists off the roads. Alexander recorded a podcast with the deputy head of the Minsk traffic police and agrees on joint coffee rides: first, the cycling community and inspectors just need to start hearing each other.

Timestamps

1. 00:00Acquaintance and the first bike
2. 03:59Belarusian races and approvals
3. 09:34Sports school and departure abroad
4. 15:09Hainan and the Year of Cycling
5. 17:31The way to the triathlon
6. 28:47Gravels and Tsar Grader
7. 35:11Goals and age categories
8. 39:12"200 Stones" and gravel community
9. 42:25Coaches and overtraining
10. 54:31Is it worth going into the bike business
11. 1:01:01Supplies, sanctions and Chinese brands
12. 1:04:11Hainan Race and China
13. 1:16:13Store team and sponsors
14. 1:21:49Onbike history and dialogue with the traffic police
15. 1:26:37Where to start a business and wishes

Mentioned in this episode

Onbike · UCI Gran Fondo · Tsar Grader · Three Mountains · Minsk Triathlon · Ironstar · Stones 200 · Winspace · Giant Revolt · bikefit.ru · Magene · Borent