Tinkoff-Saxo owner Oleg Tinkov has piled the pressure on team manager Bjarne Riis following the team’s somewhat lacklustre start to the season.
According to French newspaper L’Équipe, Tinkov and Riis had a public row during Tirreno-Adriatico, where the squad picked up just their second win of the season through Peter Sagan.
When the row occurred, however, Alberto Contador’s solo win at the Vuelta a Andalucia was their sole victory, and the Russian was reportedly angered by his team leaders’ performances in both Tirreno and Paris-Nice.
“A big talent must always remain under pressure, whether it comes from God or they apply it themselves,” Tinkov told L’Équipe. “And when you’ve got a contract that amounts to several millions that’s even more the case.
“I put myself under pressure every day. These are athletes and directeurs sportifs, they’re not the Princess with the pea.”
Contador finished fifth at Tirreno, 39 seconds behind winner and Tour de France rival Nairo Quintana, while team leader Rafal Majka finished a full 40 minutes behind Richie Porte at Paris-Nice.
Tinkov will hope his big money signing Peter Sagan can continue his winning ways at Milan-San Remo this weekend, although the Slovak knows a win in the Italian Classic is far from straightforward.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
My Training Space: 'Work, rest and play – I do everything in here!'
Massage therapist and athletic all-rounder Andy Keegan walks us around his do-it-all garden training room
-
‘Moments to live and remember’: Roglič set to win the pink jersey after winning extraordinary penultimate stage of the Giro d’Italia
Thomas loses the pink jersey to Slovenian by just 14 seconds
-
Former team owner Oleg Tinkov renounces Russian citizenship
The banker, who previously owned WorldTour cycling team Tinkoff, has been vocal in his criticism of Vladimir Putin
-
Former cycling team boss Oleg Tinkov comes out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Former owner of Tinkoff-Saxo says war is "unthinkable and unacceptable"
-
Former Tinkoff owner Oleg Tinkov convicted of tax fraud and fined over $500 million
The Russian was also handed a one-year suspended jail sentence
-
Oleg Tinkov to pay $500m after pleading guilty to US tax fraud
The Russian billionaire and former team owner pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return
-
Oleg Tinkov has been diagnosed with leukaemia
Oleg Tinkov has been diagnosed with leukaemia.
-
Oleg Tinkov made £17million offer to Sir Dave Brailsford to take over Team Sky, according to reports
Russian billionaire Oleg Tinkov reportedly made a £17million offer to Sir Dave Brailsford to take over Team Sky.
-
Oleg Tinkov: Alberto Contador is 'too old to win anything'
Former Tinkoff team owner Oleg Tinkov attacks Alberto Contador on social media, saying that he 'will never win anything'
-
Oleg Tinkov and Bjarne Riis in war of words over the way Tinkoff team was run
As the Tinkoff team comes to an end, Bjarne Riis and Oleg Tinkov continue to disagree over the way the squad was run
