When Lars Michaelsen in the fall, signed the agreement to become lead singer on the World Tour cycling team NTT, it was with a view to becoming the team’s top person in charge of the sporting area.
But with Bjarne Riis as team manager and co-owner of the team has Michaelsen suddenly got a master, whose words, in principle, have more weight.
– It is fairly clear that Bjarne is above me in the power of a co-ownership in the cycling team. He of course has more to say.
But Bjarne and I have worked together before, and we share many values and philosophy. I do not think that we should expect a lot of disagreement, ” says Michaelsen, who for years was the sports director at Riis’s former team, Team Saxo Bank.
Bjarne Riis has become the new squad leader. Photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix
Michaelsen entered into the agreement with NTT-boss Douglas Ryder in autumn, and already then joked the rumors of a coming marriage between Riis and NTT.
on Wednesday it’s finally confirmed.
– It was at no time certain that it would be the outcome. When I entered into my agreement with Douglas, he rejected it actually.
– I was not prepared for it, but like all others I am following the on rygtebørsen and knew well that the situation could arise. It is the now, and it’s just the way it is, says Lars Michaelsen.
He faces a big task in the coming months. The south african team that so far has been running that Dimension Data has in several seasons heard to the field’s worst, although a topnavn as Mark Cavendish has been on the payroll.
– Dimension Data has a little under a rockstarmentalitet, where people have thought, that no matter who you were, one could expect special treatment.
– How to create one is not a team. It has been one of the challenges, and we are in the process of correcting, says Lars Michaelsen.
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