In an interview with cyclingnews.com Oleg Tinkov revealed that talks with Cannondale have ended without an agreement, and more importantly, that he is poised to create his own team in 2015.

Tinkov stated that he is willing to invest 15 million € a year, but as compensation for his investment wants direct control.

"If someone out there wants to sell their team, they should call us and call my Italian lawyer Stefano Feltrin, but I do not want 55 or 75 per cent, I want 100 per cent of the structure. Tinkoff Credit Systems is ready to fund a long term project, I am talking about a three- to five-year project. We are ready to spend up to 15 million Euro, that is the budget of the bank right now."

Tinkov said that he is tired of just being a sponsor, complaining that:

"The problems of cycling today are that the teams are usually managed by former riders and former sports directors who don't have any of their own money. They go begging to sponsors for funding and yet the sponsors pay 100 per cent of the bills but do not have any leverage on the running of the team. That is absurd. A team manager should run the team, not worry about the budget. If Bjarne had spent more time coaching Contador instead of looking for sponsors perhaps he would have done better at the Tour de France…”

At least you have to give the man that he is into cycling. Remember that he was a moderately successful cyclist (sprinter) and was only stopped in his progress (according to himself), in 1986, by enrollment in the Soviet army; also that it is seven years ago since he sponsored Tinkoff Credit Systems, enrolled himself in the team, gave up alcohol (temporarily), and clocked 7000km on his bike in just two months.

With both Oleg and Alonso waiting in the shadows with their respective teams, 2015 may become a year where rider’s points become especially important for the World Tour teams.

Tinkov finished his interview by adding that he would like to be the Roman Abrahamovich of cycling, that he is looking for his own Jose Mourinho, that he would love to have Sagan and Cancellara; finally that he wants to do well in races from the spring classics to the Japan Cup.

From the man who (infamously, on Twitter) stated that he wanted to buy a dog, name it Froome, beat him each morning, and then starve him for three weeks. Mr. Oleg Tinkov.