'Cycling needs someone like Oleg Tinkov with a bit of personality. He will be missed'
Adam Blythe says cycling will miss Oleg Tinkov who is pulling his sponsorship from the sport
Tinkoff
Russia | Team website
The Russian Tinkoff team has a long history in professional cycling, which can be traced back to the Danish Home-Jack & Jones team founded in 1998.
Aside from its current incarnation, the squad is probably best remembered as CSC, under the ownership of former pro cyclist Bjarne Riis who shaped and managed the team until his departure two years after the squad was bought by Russian billionaire Oleg Tinkov for the 2015 season.
Alberto Contador and Peter Sagan are the WorldTour squad’s current star riders. Contador has established himself as the leading Grand Tour rider of his generation, counting seven three-week stage race victories in his palmares. Rumour has it that 2016 may be the Spaniard’s last season, so the team will have to seek out a new Grand Tour contender.
Sagan is still a star on the ascendancy. Although he is yet to claim a win in a Monument, his 2015 World Championship road race victory has significantly elevated his status.
-
Adam Blythe at the 2016 Tour Down Under Credit: Watson -
Oleg Tinkov and Bjarne Riis at Tinkoff-Saxo Bank Cycling Team 2014 Credit: Graham Watson Oleg Tinkov and Bjarne Riis in war of words over the way Tinkoff team was run
-
Tinkoff in their new kit ahead of the Abu Dhabi Tour (photo: Tinkoffteam.com) Tinkoff unveil yet another new kit for their final ever race
-
Top 10 racing moments from Tinkoff's time in the peloton
We take a look at Tinkoff's best racing moments of the last four years
-
Sean Yates Credit: Yuzuru Sunada Sean Yates: ‘I don’t think I’ll be on a WorldTour team in 2017'
British sports director and former pro Sean Yates may have to leave the WorldTour when the Tinkoff team ends in December
-
Alberto Contador at the Vuelta a España (Sunada) Alberto Contador admits his Vuelta a España chances are almost over
Sitting almost three minutes down on race leader Nairo Quintana, Tinkoff's Alberto Contador admits he's a long way from winning the race
-
Alberto Contador after stage five of the Vuelta a España (Sunada) Alberto Contador fighting to stay in Vuelta a España contention
Alberto Contador admits he can't afford to lose any more time if he's to have a chance of winning a fourth Vuelta a España title
-
22 August 2016 71st Vuelta a Espana Stage 03 : Marin - Dumbria, Mirador de Ezaro CONTADOR Alberto (ESP) Tinkoff Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA Alberto Contador: 'My heart rate was at 200'
Alberto Contador says he couldn't follow the pace of the leading riders on the steep summit finish to stage three of the Vuelta a España
-
Adam Blythe on stage 3 of the 2016 Vuelta Burgos 'Adam Blythe has shown when he’s on a good day he can out sprint the fastest'
Adam Blythe leads Tinkoff in the Cyclassics Hamburg on Sunday looking for his win in the British champion stripes
-
Peter Sagan training for the mountain biking. Credit: Tinkoff Peter Sagan 'proud and ready' for Olympic mountain bike race
Road race world champion Peter Sagan returns to his off-road roots, contesting the cross-country mountain bike event in Rio 2016
-
Peter Sagan wins stage 11 of the 2016 Tour de France Oleg Tinkov seems to confirm Peter Sagan's move to Bora-Argon 18
Oleg Tinkov lets slip to ITV that Peter Sagan is on his way to Bora-Argon 18 for the 2017 season, with the Germans even giving him a pay rise
-
9 July 2016 103rd Tour de France Stage 08 : Pau - Bagneres-de-Luchon CONTADOR Alberto (ESP) Tinkoff Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA Ivan Basso: Alberto Contador would have challenged Chris Froome in this Tour de France
Tinkoff technical coordinator Ivan Basso says he believes Alberto Contador would have been able to challenge Chris Froome a the 2016 Tour de France if it wasn't for his crash
-
Chris Froome takes a turn at the front of the lead group as Sky and Tinkoff combine to gain an advantage on stage 11 of the Tour de France (Watson) Peter Sagan: 'I hope Chris Froome has enough energy left for Mont Ventoux'
-
12 July 2016 103rd Tour de France Stage 10 : Escaldes-Engordany - Revel SAGAN Peter (SVK) Tinkoff Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA Peter Sagan: 'What can I say? It didn't go very well'
Another second place for Peter Sagan on Tour de France stage 10 was hard fought after he was heavily marked in the breakaway group
-
Rafal Majka and Peter Sagan onon stage nine of the 2016 Tour de France (Watson) Peter Sagan: Plenty of opportunities for Tinkoff despite Contador exit
Tinkoff will continue to fight on three fronts in the Tour de France, despite Alberto Contador abandoning the race
-
6 July 2016 103rd Tour de France Stage 05 : Limoges - Le Lioran CONTADOR Alberto (ESP) Tinkoff Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA Alberto Contador abandons Tour de France with illness
Tinkoff team leader climbs into team car on stage nine of the 2016 Tour de France after suffering with illness and injury
-
Roman Kreuziger in the 2016 Tour de France Roman Kreuziger and Alberto Contador issues at Tour de France 'have been dealt with'
Tinkoff team say internal issues have been resolved after Roman Kreuziger failed to wait for team leader Alberto Contador on stage five of the Tour de France
-
6 July 2016 103rd Tour de France Stage 05 : Limoges - Le Lioran CONTADOR Alberto (ESP) Tinkoff Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA Alberto Contador down but not out after first Tour de France climbing test
The Spaniard vows to fight on despite losing more time to his rivals on the first proper climbs of the 2016 Tour de France
-
Peter Sagan after stage two of the 2016 Tour de France (Sunada) Peter Sagan blasts lack of respect for safety in Tour de France peloton
Peter Sagan says riders don't care about the safety of others after winning stage two of the Tour de France and seeing team-mate Alberto Contador crash
-
Peter Sagan wins stage 2 of the 2016 Tour de France from Julian Alaphilippe. Photo: Graham Watson Peter Sagan takes first yellow jersey with Tour de France stage two win
World Champion Peter Sagan takes his first stage win since 2013 to go into the overall lead at the 2016 Tour de France
-
Alberto Contador suffered a high speed crash during Stage 1 of the 2016 Tour de France (Watson) Alberto Contador defiant despite first day crash at Tour de France
Battered and bruised, Spanish Tour de France overall contender Alberto Contador says a crash on the opening day will not affect him
-
Team Tinkoff at the 2016 Tour de France 'I don't remember all their names': Peter Sagan introduces his teammates on stage (video)
Peter Sagan gets hold of a microphone to introduce his eight teammates for the Tour de France
-
Oleg Tinkov announces the Tinkoff Tour de France team in a very Oleg Tinkov way (video)
Oleg Tinkov conducts a 15 minute live Facebook video to announce the Tinkoff team for the Tour de France, and a lot more...
-
Credit: Daniel Gould Cooking for Contador: Ivan Basso and Tinkoff press officer hit the kitchen after team chef quits
Tinkoff team chef says he quit over disputes with team own Oleg Tinkov, leaving the team waiting for a new chef to arrive
-
After a string of second places - including Friday's E3 Harelbeke - Peter Sagan finally got to stand on the top step of the podium in the rainbow jersey after winning Ghent-Wevelgem on Sunday. Credit: Graham Watson Peter Sagan trades his Olympic road race place for a shot at mountain bike gold
Peter Sagan gives up his place in the road race at the Olympic Games in exchange for selection to the mountain bike events at the end of the Games
