Friday, 24 January 2020:

International cycling boss David Lappartient has backed the World Tour return of disgraced former professional rider Bjarne Riis.

Riis, who admitted he doped to win the 1996 Tour de France, has bought into NTT Pro Cycling and is part of the African team's entourage at the Tour Down Under in Adelaide.

It is the first time he has been part of a World Tour team in official capacity since 2015.

UCI president Lappartient conceded Riis' return was "quite challenging" for the image of cycling at a time when senior officials are attempting to clean up the sport.

However, Lappartient said the controversial figure had every right under UCI rules to act as a team manager despite his rocky history.

"I can of course understand the position of different stakeholders or newspapers or journalists or fans, but as a president of the institution I can only say what is right," Lappartient said.

"Today, he has the right to come back in cycling.

"Even if I know there are some criticisms about this, there is nothing we can do at our level.

"I hope and I'm sure he took some lessons of what happened in the past to be strong in the future."

In 2007, Riis became the first rider to admit to having used performance-enhancing drugs while winning the Tour de France.

He was also accused of encouraging doping during his time as team manager of Team CSC.

Over the last few years, Riis has managed a women's team and men's Continental team.

The 55-year-old Dane announced his involvement with NTT Pro Cycling this month and told Cycling News this week he was aware of his critics.

"Of course, I pay attention to it but ... it's not new that some people have an opinion on me," he said.

"I have actually been around - just maybe not at this level.

"Maybe people should get to know me better before coming out with these opinions.

"What can I say? I'll perhaps invite all my critics for a coffee and explain how I do things.

"I'm still the same. I still have the same philosophy and still have the same values.

"I don't see why that will change."

Lappartient said he feels cycling is "in front of the bunch" when it comes to anti-doping despite a rise in positive tests over the past year.

He suggested the increase was due to targeted testing in South America - a region he sees as a "real concern" when it comes to doping.

AAP