Oleg Tinkov, the Russian multimillionaire owner of the Tinkoff-Saxo team, has challenged the four best riders in the world to contest all three Grand Tours in 2015 for one million euro.
The eccentric Russian would like to see Alberto Contador, who rides for his Tinkoff-Saxo squad, Team Sky's Chris Froome, Astana's Vincenzo Nibali and Nairo Quintana of Movistar race in the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana in the same year.
The €1million purse could be divided equally, or be awarded as a prize to the rider who places best at the Tours of Italy, France and Spain.
Many cycling fans are relishing the 2015 Tour de France, where the quartet are expected to meet to contest for the yellow jersey won by Nibali in 2014.
The route of the Giro d'Italia, announced earlier this week, suggested a Giro-Tour double might be possible, but few riders ride three Grand Tours in a calendar year, let alone contest for the overall victory at them.
Tinkov called for his gruelling idea to be adopted in an interview with Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport and then took to Twitter to 'call out' Contador's rivals publicly, including addressing Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford.
Tinkov wrote: "@davebrailsford @chrisfroome @vincenzonibali @NairoQuintana dont be a chiken (sic)! #Real3GTchallenge".
Jonathan Vaughters, head of the Garmin-Sharp team, suggested Tinkov's plan was good for cycling.
"In every successful sport, the best athletes compete against each other, all year, in the biggest(same)events. So, yes, I agree," Vaughters wrote on Twitter.
However, there will be concerns a sport which has endeavoured to tackle the use of performance-enhancing drugs will be leaving itself susceptible to abuse if such a gruelling challenge is contemplated.
BRAILSFORD INTRIGUED BY TINKOV IDEA
Brailsford is open to the idea of a showdown between the best cyclists on the planet, but stopped short of accepting Tinkov's challenge.
Brailsford, speaking at the Leaders in Sport conference in London, said: "I like the attitude, I must say. I think we'd all agree that seeing the best riders slug it out across the season at key races is what everybody would want to see.
"If you could bring an added element to it of a bit more of a narrative throughout the season rather than just a one-off race then I think I'd be behind that.
"I think it's all about getting the best riders racing together in the best and biggest races."
"From a performance point of view, it's quite a serious undertaking.
"But, from a conceptual point of view, I'm sure from a fan's point of view, from a sporting point of view, I think it's got a lot of merit."
