Brailsford backs Tinkov's €1m Grand Tour challenge

Team Sky general manager says that the Tinkoff-Saxo team owner's idea has "a lot of merit"

Vincenzo Nibali and Alberto Contador on stage eight of the 2014 Tour de France

(Image credit: Graham Watson)

Sir Dave Brailsford has praised Oleg Tinkov's idea to pay €1m to four of the top riders in the world if they manage to ride all three Grand Tours in 2015, saying that it has "a lot of merit."

The challenge was set down by the Russian businessman earlier this week, who pledged to pay Chris Froome (Team Sky), Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) €250,000 each if they commit to fighting it out across the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana next year.

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