On the eve of the Tirreno-Adriatico, Tinkoff-Saxo is delighted to announce that the Spanish six-time Grand Tour winner will remain as its leader until the end of the 2016 season.

Alberto Contador is undoubtedly one of the world’s best stage racers and a legend in his lifetime. With six overall Grand Tour wins, more than any other active rider, along with numerous wins in stage races, Alberto has a claim to being the finest overall cyclist of this generation. As such, it is only natural Tinkoff-Saxo will have him as its leader for one more year, until the end of the 2016 season.

Contador had an impressive 2014 season, where he won the Vuelta a España after a spirited comeback following his hard crash at the Tour de France. Besides his win in the Spanish grand tour, Alberto also played a major role in the one-week stage races of 2014. He won the Tirreno-Adriatico and Vuelta al País Vasco and finished 2nd in both Critérium du Dauphiné and Volta a Catalunya, adding the top results to an already impressive palmares.

The 2015 season started on a high note with a great performance at the Ruta del Sol and will continue tomorrow, with the start of the prestigious Tirreno-Adriatico, as the Spanish rider focuses on his main goal of the season, to win the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double.

Oleg Tinkov, Team Owner, expressed his satisfaction with the fact Alberto Contador will lead his team  for one more year: “I’m very happy that Alberto will lead Tinkoff-Saxo in 2016 as well, because I truly believe he is the best cyclist in the world and I am convinced he will continue to be so for a few more years. Unfortunately, he decided he would retire at the end of next year which means he will race with my team for two full seasons. I would have, obviously, preferred him to stay longer but that was his personal decision.

"However, I am very proud that Alberto’s impressive career will conclude in my team and I hope he takes the Tinkoff-Saxo colors to the top step of the Tour de France podium in 2015 and 2016.”

Bjarne Riis, Team Manager, commented on Alberto Contador’s renewal: “I am, obviously, very happy Alberto extended his contract with Tinkoff-Saxo. Everybody knows I am a big fan of his and I look forward to working with him for another year. It’s also extremely important for the team to have as a leader a champion of his caliber.

"This will be a very important year for Alberto and I’m confident it is going to be a good one. I have built a big part of the team around him and Tinkoff-Saxo will continue to fully support him.

"I believe that this is the best decision that Alberto could have made.”

Alberto Contador commented on the renewed deal: “For me it was something very important. I knew I could not wait much more because if I had to choose another option it should have been done much in advance, in order to adequately prepare the team.  We have been thoroughly assessing all aspects and in Tinkoff-Saxo we have a group that can fully guarantee the challenge of the Grand Tours.

"It is true that it was important for 2016 to have these guarantees and for that reason I am very happy to have closed the deal. It is already five years that I have been working with Bjarne Riis and the possibility to continue for another year is satisfying.

"I would like to thank all the team’s sponsors, Tinkoff Bank, Saxo Bank and Oleg Tinkov for their support. I am very happy and I look forward to start racing.”