1. Early Life and Background
Andrey Amador Bikkazakova was born on 29 August 1986, in San José, Costa Rica. His family background reflects a blend of cultures, with his father, Rodolfo Amador, being Costa Rican, and his mother, Raisa Bikkazakova, being a Russian immigrant who settled in Costa Rica after meeting and marrying his father. The youngest of three brothers, Amador developed an interest in cycling at a very early age. He began cycling professionally in 2006 when he was 20 years old, although his engagement with the sport started much earlier.
2. Professional Career
Amador's professional cycling career spanned over a decade, marked by significant achievements in Grand Tours and other major races, as well as transitions between prominent cycling teams.
2.1. Professional Debut and Early Years
Amador officially commenced his professional cycling journey in 2009, signing with Caisse d'Epargne, a team that later became known as Movistar Team. Prior to his professional debut, he had already demonstrated his potential with several notable results. In 2007, he secured an overall victory at the Semana Aragonesa. This was followed by an overall win at the Vuelta al Bidasoa in 2008, a year which also saw him claim a prologue stage victory at the Tour de l'Avenir. His early professional years also brought him national recognition, culminating in his selection to carry the flag for Costa Rica at the opening ceremony of the 2011 Pan American Games.
2.2. Grand Tour Achievements
Amador made history as the first Costa Rican cyclist to compete in the Tour de France, achieving this milestone in 2011. His most significant Grand Tour achievement came in 2012 at the 2012 Giro d'Italia, where he won a challenging mountainous Stage 14. He broke away from the main group during the final descent, just before the concluding climb, and despite being caught near the finish of the climb, he ultimately won the sprint.
In the 2015 Giro d'Italia, Amador achieved his best Grand Tour general classification result, finishing an impressive fourth overall. The following year, at the 2016 Giro d'Italia, he reached another historic milestone by holding the pink jersey after Stage 13. This made him the first Costa Rican to ever lead a Grand Tour, solidifying his pioneering status in the sport for his country. He concluded the 2016 Giro d'Italia in eighth place overall.
2.3. Key Wins and Other Notable Performances
Beyond his Grand Tour successes, Amador consistently delivered strong performances in various other prestigious races. In 2013, he achieved an eighth-place overall finish at Tirreno-Adriatico and placed tenth at Gent-Wevelgem. He contributed to a team time trial victory on Stage 1 of the 2014 Vuelta a España. That same year, he finished sixth overall at the Tour de Pologne. In 2015, he earned a bronze medal in the team time trial at the 2015 UCI Road World Championships. A significant individual victory came in 2018 when he won the Klasika Primavera. In 2019, he secured second place at the Trofeo Matteotti and finished eighth overall in the Tour of Britain.
2.4. Team Changes and Career Progression
Andrey Amador spent a significant portion of his career with the Movistar Team (formerly Caisse d'Epargne), joining them in 2009. Towards the end of the 2019 season, Amador sought to terminate his existing contract with Movistar to join Team Ineos. This led to complex contract negotiations that were only resolved when Movistar released him on 11 February 2020. The following day, Amador officially signed a three-year deal with Team Ineos, with his first scheduled race for the team being the 2020 UAE Tour later that month. In 2023, he rode for EFE.
2.5. Notable Incidents
In December 2010, while training in San José, Costa Rica, Andrey Amador was unfortunately assaulted by a group of robbers. The incident resulted in significant injuries, including damage to his lung and kidney, which affected his preparation for the upcoming season. He described the assault as the "most frightening moment of his life."
3. Major Results
Andrey Amador's career was marked by a series of notable results across various races and competitions.
3.1. General Results
- 2005
- 5th Overall Vuelta Ciclista a Costa Rica
- 2006
- 2nd Time trial, National Under-23 Road Championships
- 2007
- 1st Stage 5 Vuelta a Navarra
- 1st Overall Semana Aragonesa
- 2008
- 1st Vuelta al Bidasoa
- 5th Overall Tour de l'Avenir
- 1st Prologue
- 8th Overall Vuelta a Navarra
- 2010
- 10th Vuelta a La Rioja
- 2011
- 4th Vuelta a La Rioja
- 4th Gran Premio de Llodio
- 2012
- 1st Stage 14 Giro d'Italia
- 3rd Mountains classification, Giro d'Italia
- 4th Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia
- 9th Overall Tour de San Luis
- 10th Overall Tour Méditerranéen
- 2013
- 8th Overall Tirreno-Adriatico
- 10th Gent-Wevelgem
- 2014
- 1st Stage 1 (Team time trial), Vuelta a España
- 6th Overall Tour de Pologne
- 10th Overall Tour du Haut Var
- 2015
- 3rd Team time trial, UCI Road World Championships
- 4th Overall Giro d'Italia
- 2016
- 8th Overall Giro d'Italia
- Held pink jersey after Stage 13
- 8th Overall Giro d'Italia
- 2017
- 5th Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana
- 2018
- 1st Klasika Primavera
- 9th Overall Vuelta a Andalucía
- 2019
- 2nd Trofeo Matteotti
- 8th Overall Tour of Britain
3.2. Grand Tour General Classification Timeline
Andrey Amador's participation and overall standings in the three Grand Tours are summarized below:
| Grand Tour | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Giro d'Italia | 41 | - | 29 | - | 110 | 4 | 8 | 18 | - | 39 | - | - | - | - |
 Tour de France | - | 166 | - | 54 | - | - | - | 87 | 50 | 55 | 77 | - | - | 110 |
 Vuelta a España | - | - | - | - | 30 | 40 | - | - | 93 | - | 52 | - | - |
| - | Did not compete |
|---|---|
| DNF | Did not finish |
4. Legacy and Impact
Andrey Amador's career significantly impacted Costa Rican cycling, establishing him as a groundbreaking figure for his nation in the sport. His participation in the Tour de France as the first Costa Rican cyclist to ever compete in the prestigious event opened doors and inspired a new generation of riders from the country. Furthermore, his achievement of wearing the pink jersey at the 2016 Giro d'Italia marked a historic moment, making him the first Costa Rican to lead a Grand Tour. These accomplishments not only brought international attention to Costa Rican cycling but also demonstrated that a cyclist from a non-traditional cycling nation could compete at the highest levels of professional road racing. His career serves as a testament to perseverance and dedication, leaving a lasting legacy on the development and recognition of cycling in Costa Rica.