Tinkoff Credit Systems emerged from the 2006 Continental team Tinkoff Restaurants, which was based in Russia and headed by Alexander Kuznetsov (), employed Russian cyclists and was based upon the Saint Petersburg Lokomotiv team.
Tinkoff Credit Systems originated as part of the 2006 Continental team Tinkoff Restaurants, a Russian-based squad headed by Alexander Kuznetsov that employed local riders and was influenced by the Saint Petersburg Lokomotiv team.