Bjarne Riis has hit back at criticism from Oleg Tinkov after the demise of the Tinkoff team, revealing his personal disappointment at seeing the team he built and developed over 15 years disappear from the professional peloton. Riis suggested he and Tinkov fell out because the Russian businessman was envious of Riis’ respect within the team and killed off the philosophy he had created within the team.
The Tinkoff team competed for the last time at the Abu Dhabi Tour, with Alberto Contador finishing fifth overall despite being openly criticised by Tinkov for failing to ride Il Lombardia and helping win the UCI WorldTour ranking. Most of the riders and staff have found teams for 2017 but team buses and other equipment have been sold to the highest bidder and the team Riis created in 2001 will no longer exist from December 31.
Somewhat ironically, the end of the Tinkoff team coincides with Riis’ return to professional cycling after his 18-month hiatus. He fell out with Tinkov in March 2015 after selling the team for a reported 4.5 million Euro. Riis was supposed to manage the team for a reported €1 million a year salary but his relation with Tinkov soon broke down.
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“It's a long time since I've had something to say when it comes to the team, but it is said to note that it is now just gone. The sad part is that everything I built up over a period of 15 years was broken down in such a short time,” Riis told Brian Askvig of the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet in an exclusive interview.
“Many times I have asked myself about what happened. I have no answer, and it no longer means anything to me. I have long since moved on.”
Last week Riis confirmed that he and business partner Lars Seier Christensen will own and manage the Continental level Team Virtu Pro-VéloConcept to help develop some of the best Danish riders and also a WorldTour women’s team captained by US time trial champion Carmen Small.
- The 1996 Tour de France: What to do with Bjarne Riis’ yellow jersey - Podcast part III
- The 1996 Tour de France: The fall of Indurain, the rise of Riis – Podcast part II
- The 1996 Tour de France 20 years on - Podcast part l
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