Team Tinkoff-SaxoBank -What happens next?

[Jancouver]

Didnt we all expect Bjarne to be booted out sooner or later after Tinkov bought the team?

As per Sagan, I actually think that Sagan can be a really good helper for Contador and still be competitive for the green jersey. IT may actually help him to be labeled as domestique so there is no official pressure for him to win stages or the green jersey.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/oleg-tinkov/oleg-tinkov-blog-i-think-im-a-good-substitution-for-bjarne-riis

Tinkov talks...

I think people have now understood why he left the team. He didn’t actually do much. His role was to sit in the team car, decide tactics and give orders to the riders, to motivate them. He was not involved in the preparation of the riders and in the training. He was not involved in the management of the team either. That’s what I wanted him to do but he didn’t do it. That’s one of the reasons why we separated.

He was the owner when I bought the team but we ended up with two owners. But he was the ex-owner and had no specific role in the team for 18 months. That’s why I had to stop it. He was too expensive for doing nothing. I realised we didn’t need him. He hasn’t been in the team for two months now but things are okay. When you take somebody out and nothing changes, it means that they weren’t needed there. I do the same thing in my business.

Now I’ll be in the team car. I don’t think it will be easier for the riders. I don’t think I’ve got less charisma than Bjarne. I think I’m an okay substitute for him. I won’t be involved in race tactics, I won’t pick up the radio, that’s up to the sports directors. But being in the car will create pressure on the riders to perform. I think the more pressure there is on the riders, the better their results will be. They’re in the business to be under pressure. Like Lionel Messi was in the Champion’s League football match. He was under pressure and so scored twice and Barcelona won.

I can only see disaster in the future.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

It's Sagans turn in the hot seat plus no green jersey for him, he's a dom at the Tour!!!

Oleg is such an insufferable clown, but he's the guy in charge

Sagan will be at the Tour to help Contador, not go for his own results, says Tinkov.
That's unexpected.

Tinkov-style punishment for not delivering in spring.

What a clown

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

Re:

Sagan will be at the Tour to help Contador, not go for his own results, says Tinkov.
That's unexpected.

Wow so they completely ruined his entire season. I am very surprised. Of course the icing on the cake will be when things go really bad at the tour and Tinkoff demands to know why the rider he purchased isn't the best and someone has to explain that AC hasn't been competitive in the tour in a very long time.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

Sagan will be at the Tour to help Contador, not go for his own results, says Tinkov.
That's unexpected.

Wow so they completely ruined his entire season. I am very surprised. Of course the icing on the cake will be when things go really bad at the tour and Tinkoff demands to know why the rider he purchased isn't the best and someone has to explain that AC hasn't been competitive in the tour in a very long time.

 

[Miburo]

I'm still certain that contador didn't break a sweat in that stage, i almost never saw contador finish a stage like that, he wasn't even breathing. At least that's how he looked.

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

Oh ghod Nuttie will be in the team car... Get the **** out you clown

Not good. Aru's chances to win the Giro just got a 5% boost.

I'm quite certain Contador will ride his own race. He won't be effected by what Tinkov does in the car. The worst part is his overbearing presence before and after each stage in the first and third weeks. I'd keep my room door locked with the stereo/tv on blast. Although Tinkov will probably make sure he has card keys to everyone's rooms.

 

[SeriousSam]

Re: Re:

Sagan will be at the Tour to help Contador, not go for his own results, says Tinkov.
That's unexpected.

Wow so they completely ruined his entire season. I am very surprised. Of course the icing on the cake will be when things go really bad at the tour and Tinkoff demands to know why the rider he purchased isn't the best and someone has to explain that AC hasn't been competitive in the tour in a very long time.

The characteristic lowering of the head when he's unable to keep up always makes me chuckle

 

[hfer07]

there are two options for Sagan after Tinkov's commentary:
1-) Sagan will go the Tour to get a new team- that's a fact. He won't put up with Tinkov's BS anymore.
2-) Sagan is hurt, but this reality check will inspire him to go on and win races.

 

[Velolover2]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sagan-i-want-to-speak-with-tinkov-eye-to-eye

Haha, nice! Tinkov sometimes reminds me of one these creepy Soviet villains from the old James Bond movies.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I'm still certain that contador didn't break a sweat in that stage, i almost never saw contador finish a stage like that, he wasn't even breathing. At least that's how he looked.

Yeah he was in monster shape, insane how strong he was

 

[mrhender]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/video-tinkov-to-sagan-you-have-my-number

Video: Tinkov to Sagan - 'you have my number'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWNaR-rxAic

 

[No_Balls]

Re:

Wow. The workload on Sagan just doubled...nay...tripled. After all, he's just needs to win a couple of stages and look after Alberto.

 

[SeriousSam]

Perfect response from Tinkov to be honest.

 

[BeachBum]

Re:

Perfect response from Tinkov to be honest.

Perfect? Sagan wants eye to eye contact and Olga says 'call me'? One one hand, he's the boss and wants to show Sagan that. On the other hand, I don't know that I want to piss off one of my riders, or else he WILL go looking for a new team. Not to mention Olga the publicity hound is letting this all play out in public-- THAT is stupid, it should be 'praise in public, criticize in private.' No matter how they work this out, it should be in private.

 

[SeriousSam]

It's clear there is virtually no communication between Tinkov and Sagan, so when Sagan says he'd rather discuss such things in private, well, he could always do that but apparently chooses not to. This is what Tinkov said in the video.

Perhaps the difference in sympathies here is that I'm perfectly content with outrageously well paid riders that fail to perform having to endure some tough questions and criticism, not least by their boss.

 

[trevim]

What a freakin mess, if I payed Sagan 4M I wouldn't want this soap opera in the media, it's plain ridiculous and certainly won't help Sagan win

 

[pastronef]

https://www.twitter.com/fmk_RoI/status/597860262104924160

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Re: Re:

Perfect response from Tinkov to be honest.

Perfect? Sagan wants eye to eye contact and Olga says 'call me'? One one hand, he's the boss and wants to show Sagan that. On the other hand, I don't know that I want to piss off one of my riders, or else he WILL go looking for a new team. Not to mention Olga the publicity hound is letting this all play out in public-- THAT is stupid, it should be 'praise in public, criticize in private.' No matter how they work this out, it should be in private.

You are right on that, but Olga forgets Sagan isn´t his usual 500 rubel slave. Sagan is free to sign with any other team. Olga don´t understand that. And Sagan isn´t the first he pissed on, literally. Before it was Contador, and Rijs (and who knows else)...
This freak who pretends to know cycling and thinks he is the boss of the world needs a major downsize.

 

[SeriousSam]

Yes, I'm sure Sagan is eager to make a fraction of what he currently makes at some other team because Oleg, with whom he rarely interacts, drops the occasional truth bomb in the media.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Yes sure Sam, Olga is overpaying all "his" riders, so they fear to test the market.

 

[jmdirt]

Re: Re:

Perfect response from Tinkov to be honest.

Perfect? Sagan wants eye to eye contact and Olga says 'call me'? One one hand, he's the boss and wants to show Sagan that. On the other hand, I don't know that I want to piss off one of my riders, or else he WILL go looking for a new team. Not to mention Olga the publicity hound is letting this all play out in public-- THAT is stupid, it should be 'praise in public, criticize in private.' No matter how they work this out, it should be in private.

I agree with bum, how is that a good response? Nothing like a good eye to eye twitter chat huh? I agree that Oly should have high expectation for PS but his cutesie response is ignorant at best.

 

[thehook]

I'm a believer in "Praise in Public, Scold in Private". However I'm also a resident of NYC. And we have this little baseball team here called the Yankees? Anybody remember G. Steinbrenner the owner? He was Oleg 30 years before Oleg.

Oleg gives you an Honest no BS assessment of HIS opinion of the team/riders. Is that so bad? Would you rather have no comment? Or pure BS to insult your intelligence?

Dude pays the bills.....He gets to say whatever he wants. If he thinks you are not giving him 100%. Well he is the BOSS. Sagan can ask out of his contract. Do you think he will? IMHO No Way! And if he did it tomorrow. He would be lucky to get 2mill per. That's HALF of what he is getting now.

 

[hfer07]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tinkov-keen-to-reduce-sagans-contract-after-poor-spring

so.... Salary cuts and the team viewed by his own owner as a "TOY"

I quite honestly don't see this team pass next year, with that kind of BS coming from Tinkov and his distorted way to see the cycling profession as far as sporting management is concern-It's just WRONG to go off on twitter bashing on his very own riders and expect them to perform greatly based on threats & unnecessary pressure put on them, despite the already risks they take on the road & how hard the sport is by nature.....

Tinkov better worry about his very own business & have a CEO handle it properly.

 

[mrhender]

I don't see Tinkov lasting further than 2016.
Will be interesting to see if Riis buys the Licence from UCI once Tinkov's mood has had him pulling the plug...