Tinkov: It's time to put the toy back in the box

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Oleg Tinkov went for pink hair on the final stage (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) tries an attack (Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)

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Chris Froome celebrates winning stage 5 at the Criterium du Dauphine (Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)

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Tinkoff owner Oleg Tinkov signed on today at the stage start (Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)

Oleg Tinkov has admitted he has mixed emotions about leaving the sport of cycling at the end of the year but that it is time for him to take the rational decision and wave goodbye.

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Tinkov exclusively revealed to Cyclingnews in 2015 that he would leave the sport at the end of this season and his Tinkoff squad are set to close if they cannot find a sponsor for 2017. It’s expected that Alberto Contador and Peter Sagan – the team’s star riders – will move to Trek-Segafredo and Astana respectively for next year.