On February 18, the legendary Soviet motorcycle racer Viktor Arbekov
. A cancer patient jumped out of the window of his eighth-floor apartment without even leaving a suicide note. He really wanted to watch the 2021 FIFA World Cup final, and on March 8 he could celebrate his 75th birthday. Arbekov was the first Soviet motorcycle racer to win the world motocross championship, and this became a real sensation.
“Leave him in the hospital”
Viktor Arbekov was born on March 8, 1942 in Podolsk. During difficult times of war, he was born so weak and small that doctors suggested that the mother of the future champion should leave him in the maternity hospital. “He won’t survive anyway,” was their verdict. But the woman refused such an offer, took her son home and left him, no matter what.
To do this, in wartime it was necessary to sell personal belongings or exchange them for food, but Elena Ivanovna needed to eat normally so that the child would receive everything he needed along with milk. A couple of years later, it turned out that little Victor had a problem with his lungs, which could affect his health. Nobody remembers the exact diagnosis anymore. The doctors talked about “some kind of darkening in the lungs.”
Motorcycle Features
Along with the rules, the equipment used in competitions also changed. Initially, these were ordinary production motorcycle models. A little later, when motocross began to take on more modern forms, it became clear that such motorcycles were too heavy and clumsy for quick, confident maneuvering on difficult tracks, so riders began to modify them themselves, getting rid of everything “extra” (headlights, trunk) and modifying them chassis.
A little later, when the industry stepped forward, the first production models, originally intended for cross-country racing, began to appear. All changes made to them were based on observations of the behavior of cars and racers on the track. In addition to the general lightweighting of the design, they also reduced the width of the steering wheel, which made the car more controllable, increased the travel of the fork, and also raised the exhaust pipe, which previously was constantly damaged. But the most important change was related to the engine: the common but heavy 4-stroke engines were replaced by more compact, lighter and faster 2-stroke single-cylinder engines, making the entire design much more manageable and lighter.
Modern production models of cross-country motorcycles continue these ideas: they lack a battery and an electric starter (at least in most models it is replaced by a kickstarter), headlights, brake lights, mirrors and a dashboard. In addition, due to the use of more modern alloys and a number of technological solutions, for example, the abandonment of a drum brake in favor of a disc brake, their design was made even more lightweight. This allowed the re-installation of 4-stroke engines.
Now all motorcycle models are divided into classes according to engine capacity: 50, 65, 85, 125, 350 and 500. For obvious reasons, competitions are held between cars of the same class.
Knocked out teeth, unconscious for a day
Victor survived, but grew very weak and thin. Everything changed when he saw a young guy, Yuri Komarov
rides a motorcycle. Arbekov, who was then five or six years old, spent almost all his time in Komarov’s garage, and he did not drive the boy away, but attracted him as an assistant. He also forced me to play sports so that I would have strength for mechanical work, not to mention operating equipment.
During difficult times of war, he was born so weak and small that doctors suggested that the mother of the future champion should leave him in the maternity hospital.
Then Victor was allowed to get on a motorcycle with the engine turned off. At the age of 10, Arbekov was already riding an old motorcycle. Or rather, I tried to drive. During one of these trips, he lost control of the steering wheel and fell into a ditch. He hit himself hard and lost consciousness. In this state, the neighbor boys dragged him to some barracks and nursed him for almost a day, without telling Victor’s mother anything. He escaped with a concussion and knocked out front teeth, and after that he began going to classes at the DOSAAF auto club in Podolsk.
Domestic motorcycles and new sports
The participation of motorcyclists in state-level competitions and interest from spectators finally led to the emergence of a domestic motorcycle industry by the early 1930s. Several factories were built at once (in Leningrad, Izhevsk, Taganrog, and Podolsk) and full-fledged industrial production of Soviet models began. Testing of the first 6 machines, which performed on a par with the tested solutions of foreign designers, was carried out already in 1931.
Along with the development of industry, the list of disciplines began to expand. While the first races in the Soviet Union were almost exclusively long-distance races, with the release of their own motorcycles it became possible to make the races more varied. In particular, cross-country races, motorball, ice races and other winter competitions began to be organized.
However, for the development of professional sports, it required not only new equipment, but also people who could manage it. And, in turn, someone had to teach them this. For this purpose, at the end of the 30s, separate courses were opened at the Moscow Institute of Physical Education, where instructors were trained.
The first champion from the USSR
Sports success came to him early - at his age, Arbekov was unconditionally the strongest in the USSR. At the age of 21, he made his debut in the world motocross championship at Kovrovets and at the Moscow stage he became fourth in the class of cars up to 250 cc. A year later, the Soviet motorcycle racer, already on the Czech CZ motorcycle, became the bronze medalist of the World Championship, and in 1965 he sensationally won the title in the fight against the Belgian Joel Robert
, Swede
Torsten Holman
and Briton
Dave Bickers
.
Arbekov won five Grand Prix and was four points ahead of Robert in the overall standings, although he won the title ahead of schedule. But the Soviet racer never achieved such success. He was fourth in the overall standings twice, won a total of 10 Grand Prix (nine in the 250 cc class, one in 1966 in Germany in the 500 cc class). In 1968, Arbekov spent his last season in World Championship. After that, he also competed in less prestigious races, and then worked as a coach.
None of the rivals ever spoke about Arbekov with any resentment, just like he did about those with whom he fought on the tracks. But he maintained the warmest relationship with Robert - Arbekov traveled to Belgium more than once, where he met with his friend-rival.
For winning the World Championship, Arbekov received substantial prize money - more than 10 thousand in ruble equivalent. But he had to give this money back.
Motocross in a nutshell
In modern terms, motocross (also sometimes referred to as MotoX or simply MX) is a race on a closed track that runs over rough terrain off public roads. The main task of each racer is to be the first to complete a certain number of laps in the allotted time. In professional races it is usually limited to 30 minutes plus 1-2 additional laps.
Unlike other sports, where high speed is at the forefront, the physical preparation and skill of the racers are no less important here, since they have to overcome a large number of different obstacles on the way to the finish line. These include changes to the road surface to dirt and sand, steep ascents and descents, and even artificially installed small jumps. All this makes motocross one of the most spectacular and therefore popular competitions. However, it was not always this way.
Red Skoda, prize money given away
For winning the World Championship, Arbekov received substantial prize money - more than 10 thousand in ruble equivalent. But he had to give this money back. The details of the whole story were known only to Viktor Mikhailovich himself, who said that he “received a call and was urgently asked to transfer the prize money for the development of Luzhniki.” He did not resist. That was the time. But no one took away the Skoda he gave him as a gift. Arbekov sold it himself. The Soviet motorcycle racer received the Czech car for advertising the CZ brand in the world - it was on this motorcycle that he became the world champion. All the athlete’s many friends wanted to ride in the red Skoda, a curiosity even for Moscow at that time, but he refused to refuse anyone.
Photo: idrottonline.se
In general, in five years the car has fallen into a sad state. According to Arbekov’s wife Svetlana Yakovlevna, “when we met, it was scary to get into it.” At her insistence, the car was sold and never appeared again with collectors or at any auctions.
By the way, after 1968, Arbekov became restricted from traveling abroad for several years. He didn’t talk about this story, but the “ban” was lifted a few years later. His son Alexander said that throughout his entire adult life, as long as he can remember, “his father went on trips abroad and brought gifts, chewing gum, and clothes from there; “We have always lived well financially; there was nothing to complain about.” Alexander Arbekov was born in 1975.
World War II and post-war years
The second serious blow to the development of the direction, and throughout the country as a whole, was dealt by the Great Patriotic War. There was no question of any competitions in those years: former athletes went to the front, and the industry, which was quickly converted to produce motorcycles for the needs of the army, could not cope with its plans.
One way or another, the war ended, but the country could not recover from its consequences for another 9 long years. The first serious motorcyclist competitions of the post-war era took place only in 1954. These were international motocross competitions, in which, in addition to Soviet athletes, riders from Czechoslovakia, Poland and the GDR took part. Subsequently they became annual.
In general, the 50s marked a gradual shift away from line racing in favor of more spectacular short-distance competitions, ice racing and the growing speedway. But, undoubtedly, the most important event of the decade was the entry of the Central Automobile Club of the Soviet Union into the FIM, which occurred in 1956. In the same year, a circuit race was organized, in which racers from the Soviet republics took part, and in 1959, the first international ice track races and the first USSR speedway championship were organized.
In 1960, the automotoclub was replaced by a new, independent organization - the USSR Motorcycle Federation (FMS). It was under its auspices that all subsequent major domestic and international competitions were held and Soviet motorcycle racers achieved success.
There can't be two deaths
He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013, and two years later he experienced clinical death. At this time, Viktor Arbekov underwent surgery - he was in the Herzen Oncology Research Institute. The operation was successful, and the doctors even decided to let him go home for the weekend. His son was supposed to pick up Arbekov.
“I called my father, who said that he would be waiting for me in the corridor of the department. I drove up to the research institute building and tried to pay for parking - you can’t just park your car here. And at this time, problems with the Internet began. I spent about 10 minutes paying, and when I got up to the department, my father wasn’t there. They told me that he was urgently taken to intensive care,” said Alexander Arbekov.
Viktor Arbekov suffered a heart attack and clinical death. Doctors managed to restart the former motorcycle racer’s heart and give him almost two more years of life. He did not complain of pain, the necessary medications were provided to him free of charge, and Arbekov’s family bought additional ones with their own money.
In recent years, Viktor Arbekov has lived from one temporary goal to another. The last one is to live to see the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and watch it in the stands of Luzhniki, in the development of which he invested his championship fee. There were no prerequisites for what happened on the night of February 18, 2021. He left no suicide note. “Dad just left. What influenced his decision he took with him, we will never know,” said Alexander Arbekov.
The Ulyanovsk motocross school was always strong during the Soviet era, so we also have our own heroes, the memory of whom is erased over time. For example, Lev Erokhin. And in the shadow of these heroes there were those who dreamed of podiums and victories, but something went wrong. Many of these athletes push their sports past into a distant drawer in the attic and remember it with reluctance. And some people maintain their love for sports all their lives, which, although it did not allow them to conquer the peaks, forever lit a fire that remains with them to the end. I decided to dedicate an article to our mechanic, candidate master of sports of the USSR in motorsports, Andrei Evgenievich Sergeev, based on his memories and facts from his biography. And frame it as a first-person story. Andrey Evgenievich turned out to be a very modest but interesting storyteller.
“I was born on September 23, 1959. Now they would say that I came to motorsports quite late - at about 16 years old. My father himself was involved in motocross, rode with the legendary Ulyanovsk motocrosser Lev Petrovich Erokhin. And one day at the instrument-making plant where he worked, my future coach, Vasily Mikhailovich Buravkin, met him. He asked my father if I was training because his motorcycle riders had been drafted into the army and he needed new athletes.
This is how my training began on the Vinnovskaya Roshcha track, which at that time (second half of the 70s) was the second most difficult in Russia. In the first year I was told that there was nothing for me to do as a junior, so I went to the national team of my club in the adult group. At that time, motorcycle clubs were very developed in Ulyanovsk. On the left bank (Zavolzhsky district) the strongest clubs were then the STK (Lower Terrace) and the Erokhin club (Upper Terrace). On our right bank, the leaders were again STK (12 September St.) and my club of the Ulyanovsk driving school (on Uritsky St.). Class ChZ-125 cm3. Vinnovskaya Roshcha track 05/12/1979
Like I said, a lot of guys were drafted into the army, and I ended up in the 350cc category. At the end of 1979, having already been competing for the Ulyanovsk driving school for two years, I took first place in regional competitions and for the first time went from the Ulyanovsk region team to the quarterfinals of the Russian Federation championship (yes, the selection used to be very serious). As a result, in 1982, I scored the coveted 100 points and received the sports category “Candidate Master of Sports of the USSR.” When the treasured paper and badge arrived from Moscow, it simply inspired me, but in December of the same 1982, I broke my left leg for the first time. Alas, there were no motorcycle boots then, so when during training I unsuccessfully caught a hole in my boot on a falling motorcycle, I could not avoid a fracture. I celebrated the New Year in the hospital, and this was clearly a bad omen - you will come there again =) As I already said, I was simply inspired by the first serious successes and high level of sports, so after 4 months I was already walking with all my might and soon returned to the club: I had to train and make up for lost time. Class 350 cm3. Zavolzhye Quarry track 08/15/1982.
In May 1984, the semi-final of the Russian Federation zone in motocross was supposed to be held in Ulyanovsk, on the track in the village named after Karamzin, and at all costs I wanted to fulfill the standard of the Master of Sports of the USSR on my native soil. And I was ready for this. That day the weather was changing, half of the track was wet, part was dry. I decided to take a chance and put a set of rain tires on the motorcycle. It is very soft and holds up well in mud. But this decision did not pay off: on a slope, on a dry section, after opening the gas, the motorcycle overturned, I turned over and fell unsuccessfully. On the left leg. A fracture again. And now I’m celebrating the May holidays in the hospital. First May Day, then Victory Day - so they didn’t pay much attention to me. And then the tests were lost. In general, while I was waiting for the doctors, everything stopped hurting me =) Class 350 cm3. Red Plowman route, Samara, 07/10/1983.
Jokes aside, I had to give up motorsports: after the injury I was out of work for six months, there was nothing to eat, I had to look for a job. Thirty years passed, but that same unrealized opportunity, the race that I should have won, haunted me. I also just really love motorcycles and motocross. It seems to me that if you have this in you, you will carry it through your whole life. This feeling will not let you fade away. Andrey Evgenievich Sergeev, 2015
My son continued the racing traditions of our family, so I sometimes rode with him, and my son took part in the Russian Championship. It so happened that in 2014 my son gave up karting. Alas, this is an expensive pleasure. With the sudden free money I had, I bought a used 250cc Kawasaki and came back for training. Number 514 - A.E. Sergeev
In the same year, I took part in the first competitions after the break - in the Ulyanovsk region motocross championship, and took second place in the “Veterans” group, losing to another Ulyanovsk old-school racer - Sergei Belov. (Note - you can READ about Sergei Belov HERE).
At the stages of the Russian Championship among veterans, I was consistently in at least the top ten, but it is quite difficult for us, sixty-year-olds, to compete on equal terms with younger 45-year-old veterans, so, unfortunately, I was not able to rise above 4th place. In February 2017, ice racing was held at the central Trud stadium - in cars, buggies and motorcycles. The participants were not divided by age, but in the motorcycle group I managed to take second place. The only one ahead of me was Yuri Zaitsev, a fairly well-known racer among us. However, then injuries began to haunt me: in 2018 I broke my right leg, and in 2019 I had a bad fall and broke my arm, which healed incorrectly, so now I am forced to take a break to get myself in order. But I can’t completely quit racing - now I help the BikeExpert Ulyanovsk team with technical issues and sometimes I ride a lap or two around the karting track on a pit bike.”
This is how our experienced mechanic turned out to be in motorcycle racing. Agree, at the age of 60, racing and flying into the air on a motorcycle is worthy of respect. Probably, after reading, you might have a question: will Andrei Evgenievich return to sports? He answered us without a doubt - he will return if his health allows. And I am very glad that my passion for motorcycles allows me to meet such interesting people.
A LIFE-LONG JOURNEY 1983 2015
Photo from the personal archive of A.E. Sergeeva
New country - new sport
In the 1970-80s, Soviet motorcycle sport was already a full-fledged professional field with its own achievements and stars, which had practically nothing in common with the amateur competitions that became its basis at the very beginning of the century. However, already in 1991, the Russian Federation replaced the Soviet Union, the place of the FMS of the USSR was taken by the MFR (Motorcycle Federation of Russia), which became a full member of the FIM in 1992, and the history of domestic motorcycle sports took another turn, which we will definitely talk about in future materials.
