Andriy Grivko will make a nice humanitarian gesture. He decided to auction the bike he mounted during the Tour de France, during which he helped his leader Vincenzo Nibali to win the race. All money raised will be for the Ukrainian soldiers wounded during the conflict with Russia.

“It’s a pity to give up the bike, but I’ve been thinking about this for a long time,” Grivko told Ukraine’s Sport Online website during a visit to Kiev. “I want to help the ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation] fighters in our country’s difficult period.”

During the three-week races, he told L'Equipe about his war: “It’s difficult to concentrate on the bike when you know that your family is there. Our freedom and our security are in danger.”

The situation has worsened with the Malaysia Airlines plane crash: “It’s a huge tragedy that is not limited to the Ukraine and Russia. It concerns the world and in particular, Europe. Everyone should understand what is the cause of this is an act of terrorism – Russia is guilty and has dirtied the reputation of my country.”