Former Tour de France winner turned manager, Riis thinks Roche can continue to develop.
The manager of Nicolas Roche’s new Saxo-Tinkoff team, Bjarne Riis has said he believes the Irishman can continue to develop as a rider, and as well as adding strength to his team can also get results of his own.
Roche has signed a new two-year contract with the Danish-based squad, which is backed by Danish and Russian banking companies. In a statement confirming his transfer for 2013 and 2014, the team said the Irishman “can take on the role of both a super domestique and a captain”.
Riis himself described Roche as “a really exciting rider”.
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“I have kept an eye on him for some time now,” he said.
“He will surely add strength to our team throughout the season. But at the same time I also see a rider who can still develop, especially his time trialling. So I'm really looking forward to starting working with him. I'm sure Nicolas will be an important rider for us both when it comes to helping Alberto (Contador) win Grand Tours and to secure results on his own.”
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In the team statement 28-year-old Roche said: "Joining Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank is a whole new adventure for me after eight years of riding for French teams, and I'm really excited about this challenge. Bjarne Riis has managed some of the best cyclists in the world, and I'm convinced that his team can help me step up a level and help me achieve some results. At the same time it will be a great new experience for me to take on a supporting role as well.”
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