Ignatiev leads new Russian team

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Seven time world champion Michail Ignatiev will be the leader of Russia's newest Continental team: Tinkoff Restaurants, sponsored by the popular Russian brand for at least the next three years. The driving force behind the team is Oleg Tinkov, Chairman of the Board of Directors and an owner of Tinkoff Private Breweries, as well as being a keen cyclist himself. Tinkov will not only be involved in the team as a sponsor, but will also take part in a few races during the year.

Apart from Ignatiev, the team also boasts Alexander Serov, Nikolay Trusov, and Sergei Klimov, who are all World, European or Russian Champions. Other riders include Pavel Brutt, Ivan Rovny, Anton Mindlin, Vladimir Schekunov, Egor Kazakov, Ilya Chernetsky, Ilya Krestyaninov and Oleg Tinkov

The team is based on the St. Petersburg cycling school, which has been in existence for almost 40 years. Currently managed by Alexander Kuznetsov, who has been responsible for training more than 40 World and European Champions and world record holders. Nine out of the 12 riders on the roster have been groomed by Kuznetsov.

The team will race on the track and the road, and includes several members of the Russian National Team who will represent their country at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. It's also aimed at preparing riders to eventually race in the Tour de France.

Team Tinkoff will be partnered by Siberia Airlines, which has a long-standing co-branding relationship with the Tinkoff brand.

Team roster

Michail Ignatiev, Pavel Brutt, Nikolay Trusov, Ivan Rovny, Sergey Klimov, Anton Mindlin, Alexander Serov, Vladimir Schekunov, Egor Kazakov, Ilya Chernetsky, Ilya Krestyaninov, Oleg Tinkov. Team manager: Alexander Kuznetsov.