Description
Bjarne Riis
Bjarne Riis (born April 3, 1964, in Herning, Denmark) is a retired Danish professional cyclist best known for winning the 1996 Tour de France, becoming the first Dane to achieve that feat. His professional career began in 1986, and he rode for several major teams, including Panasonic, Ariostea, and finally Telekom, where he reached the peak of his career. Riis earned the nickname “Il Tacchino” (The Turkey) for his awkward riding style early in his career, but he matured into a tactical, powerful stage racer. His win in the 1996 Tour was built on dominant climbing performances, most notably on Stage 16 to Hautacam, where he dropped his rivals and took control of the yellow jersey. That season, he also won the Critérium International and placed 3rd overall in the Tour de Suisse.
Riis also had a successful career in the one-week stage races and was a consistent top-10 Tour contender, finishing 3rd in 1995 and 5th in 1993. After retiring in 2000, he transitioned into management. He became the long-time general manager and owner of Team CSC/Saxo Bank, where he helped develop riders such as Carlos Sastre, Fränk and Andy Schleck, and Alberto Contador, who won the Tour under his guidance in 2008. In 2007, Riis publicly admitted to using EPO, cortisone, and growth hormone during the 1990s, including in his 1996 Tour win. Although the ASO and UCI initially responded by stating they no longer considered him the winner, his name remains on the official record as the 1996 Tour de France champion.
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