Tour of Russia

Alexander Gusyatnikov, a senior official with the Russian Cycling Federation (FVSR), said Russia wanted to organise a week-long road race as early as next year.
"It's an ambitious project but we think we can do it," Gusyatnikov said following this month's Tour of Sochi, an annual international stage race along the Black Sea coast
.
"We plan to call it the Tour of Russia -- a smaller version of the famous Tour de France race. It would start in St Petersburg, continue to Moscow, then riders would fly to Sochi for another three or four days through the Caucasus mountains.

"We hope to submit our proposal to UCI by June to have the race on the international calendar for next year but if we're not ready next year we'll definitely stage it in 2014," he added.

However, Gusyatnikov conceded that "money and (good) roads" were needed if Russia wants to stage a major cycling race.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/16042012/58/russia-keen-stage-mini-tour-de-france.html

It will mean more races will suffer in the European calendar.