In Kiev he stepped into a minivan, 32 hours later he had arrived at his destination. Maksim Pedos did not have a clue about what he could expect, but he had understood the call from Holland and could not resist this. That is why he travelled in a cheap and uncomfortable way through the Ukraine, Belarus, through Poland and Germany to Holland. It was hard, but because of speed skating the 24-year old Pedos is willing to do anything.

 

At school he was taught a bit of French, but that did not really last. In English he can not say anymore then yes and no, good and bad. German? Not a word. It is because of Marnix Wieberdink of Sport Navigator.nl speaking a little Russian, otherwise he would never had managed to get the powerfull athlete from Kiev into his Master Class 2005. Wieberdink managed to tell Pedos by telephone that he could come to Holland for two and a half week for a training camp. To skate on the summer ice of Thialf, for cycling, power training and to get some advises about food and material. Pedos said spasiba, thank you in Russian, and stepped into the minivan.

 

Everyone who is so strong and so motivated to step into a van for 32 hours to go to a training camp is for sure an unpolished diamont. But can Maskim Pedos become a shiny diamont? He thinks not. At least if he stays a skater in the Ukraine. Training on ice is only possible in the winter, in Sumy, 350 km east from Kiev. There they have a natural ice rink.

 

If Pedos wants to improve in his sport, he must need to learn to speak other languages. During his summer stay in Holland he communicated through Russian sprinter Svetlana Kaykan. Thanks to her it became possible as well to get to know more about this silent athlete.

 

A man who grows up in Kiev and who is athletic, normally wants only one thing: becoming a soccer player of Dinamo Kiev. Maksim is an exception and that is because of his father, Sergei. Pedos senior is a speed skating trainer and therefore Maksim went on the ice at the age of seven. The for Ukrainian people unknown sport was liked by Pedos and as soon as he started to become more serious about the sport, he noticed another nice side of speed skating: the summer training. From power training to bike racing, Pedos can not get enough. ‘Just as I like to be a skater, I would have loved to become a cyclist.' Professional cycling is done by more Ukrainian guys, but Pedos is almost alone in speed skating. And that has a pleasant side as well, he gets financial support from the Olympic committee of his country. ‘I get 200 euro a month. I know that it is nothing for a Dutch skater, but in Kiev I can just live from that amount.'

 

During the Olympics in Torino, he will be in the back of the results, but to become more internationally competing, he needs to stay more often in other countries. ‘I don't know if that will be possible. In the Ukraine it is not possible to find a sponsor for speed skating and therefore I depent on the money from the Olympic committee.

 

However, the mission of Pedos is not totally without any chance. With his enormous power (‘As a kid I was already really strong') and his fantastic mentality he gets attention in the speed skating world. That is why he got the invitation for the Master Class. Being in a van for longer than a day is impressive. How did you manage it? ‘It went very well, thank you.' How many people were in the van? ‘Eight.' What kind of people and what are they doing in Holland? ‘Two women with a kid who went to visit family and the others were men who come to buy a second hand car.' And you, what did you do all the time? Talking, reading? ‘Most of the time I looked outside.' And what did you think of then? ‘Skating, the Master Class in Holland.' Do you like Holland? ‘Yes, very much.' What do you think is strange in Holland? ‘Bread. There is so much bread here. Incredible how much bread they eat here. We also get baskets with bread all the time. I eat to much bread here. But it is good bread tough.'

 

Later, during his long trip back home, when he falls asleep in the van, where does Pedos then dream of? ‘Becoming a speed skating champion. Olympic champion. But I know that this dream will never come true. Or things need to change. Many things.'