The news of Bjarne Riis’s suspension from his team manager’s role at Tinkoff-Saxo has prompted vocal criticism of Oleg Tinkov. But why has Tinkov really acted now?
When Oleg Tinkov said three years ago that he and Bjarne Riis would gel because the Dane was exactly like his Estonian wife, it was difficult not to snigger.
Tinkov’s bulging eyes, though, confirmed that his point was meant in earnest. He went on to explain: “Sometimes these things work. My wife is the same. You can never say. Sometimes plusses and minuses work very well together. They can produce a lot of energy. My wife is very like Bjarne in some ways. She’s Estonian, she’s very quiet, and, as you said, I’m very flamboyant and energetic. But we’ve been happily married for 25 years. So, no, I don’t see it as a problem.”
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Tinkov and Riis may yet soldier on to their silver anniversary…but on Tuesday that looked highly unlikely. In a communiqué, the Tinkoff-Saxo team of which Riis is still officially the manager and Tinkov the owner announced that Riis is currently “not being actively involved in the team’s activities.”
The statement concluded: “No decisions have been taken and any formal and final decision on any team member – if taken – shall be communicated at the appropriate time. Until then there will be no further comments on this matter.”
In the hours that followed, fans and commentators were quick to rubbish the team’s claims that neither money nor poor results have motivated Tinkov’s decision, but insiders confirm that the causes do indeed lie elsewhere. Yes, Riis is handsomely paid - his salary edging €1million - and, yes, the team has notched only two victories so far in 2015. These, though, can be seen as mere symptoms or contributors to a power struggle that has boiled over in the last fortnight.
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