| 2008-07-17 |
Published: The Komsomolskaya Pravda Newspaper |
This is the name of the Russian cycling team with an annual budget of Euro 15 million
Such a large investment (from the cycling sport viewpoint) came true thanks to establishment of the Russian Foundation for Development and Support for Bicycling. Such giants as Gazprom, ITERA and Rostekhnologii established it. Tinkoff-Credit Systems Teams would change its name for Katyusha, which is to play a role of a basic team within the new program’s framework. Oleg Tinkov, head of the stabling, announced the amount of 30 million to be invested in the Project. A half the budget will go to the professional team. The other half will be invested in establishment and development of bicycling, training of young athletes and the Russian Federation of Bicycling activities.
-Wouldn’t it be pitiful to lose the name? – we asked Oleg Tinkov. – You probably had invested so much in the team…
- Pitiful. What does it mean? It is true that I have been building this team for Russia. It is painful for me, as a former bicycle racer, to see how our bicyclists are humiliated in foreign teams, how they are made to carry coolers for their leaders … It is very important that a Russian team should be established. I do not have enough money to become president of a truly best team. It is true that Tinkoff-Credit Systems is now shining on the racers’ shirts, but I am not going to with Tour de France. Ever!
- Why?
- It is because the team has an annual budget of only Euro 3 million. This is what I am paying out of my pocket. Now it is different, because Gazprom, ITERA, Rostekhnologii, Sergey Chemezov have joined. Vladimir Putin has approved the idea. Dmitry Medvedev is also aware of the plan. In other words, a social project is in place, and now we are going to win everything!
- How many racers are going to be in the team?
- As the team President, I shall do everything necessary to procure that at least a half of 30 racers would be our people. To be exact, I would say not only our people, but also Russian-speakers. Those would be athletes from Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan …
- They already call your team a bicycling version of Chelsea …
- Today, they say that too much in advance. Should they compare our team with Chelsea in two or three years, I would be happy.
- You have stated the upcoming Tour de France would be yours. Were you serious?
- What is the problem? With such a team, the world greatest one with such a budget, there should not be a problem! We probably will not win in the first year, but we will surely do in the second or third year!
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