The Astana Team races in the Tour de France under the symbol AST. Athletes riding for Astana include:
Alexandre Vinokourov
Antonio Colom
Maxim Iglinsky
Sergei Ivanov
Andrey Kashechkin
Andreas Klöden
Daniel Navarro Garcia...
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The Astana Team races in the Tour de France under the symbol AST. Athletes riding for Astana include: Alexandre Vinokourov Antonio Colom Maxim Iglinsky Sergei Ivanov Andrey Kashechkin Andreas Klöden Daniel Navarro Garcia Gregory Rast Paolo Savoldelli
Johan Bruyneel, manager of the new RadioShack team headlined by Lance Armstrong, has finalized a 2010 team roster that includes 16 riders from 16 countries. "It is a well balanced team," Bruyneel said of the team that will gather for the first time in Tucson, Arizona, in the second week of December. "We have experienced riders - with some of them I worked already many years in my former teams - but we also have young talents who can develop in the perfect environment. "I am happy that our... Read Full Story
The future of Tour de France champion Alberto Contador's Astana team is again in doubt after cycling's ruling body made new demands for financial guarantees. Kazakh Cycling Federation deputy president Nikolai Proskurin said Tuesday that the International Cycling Union is demanding a bank guarantee of Astana's annual budget before it will renew its ProTour license. Proskurin says the demand is unreasonable and that he is unsure whether Astana can meet Wednesday's deadline. The team's... Read Full Story
Kazakhstan's state sovereign fund pledged $22 million in financial backing to the Astana cycling team Friday, ensuring the squad stays alive and Tour de France champion Alberto Contador remains in its ranks. Astana's current racing license is due to expire at the end of next year, but recurring delays in paying salaries to riders have prompted the International Cycling Union to demand guarantees on the team's financial viability by this week. "Samruk-Kazyna (state holding) has provided UCI... Read Full Story
Lance Armstrong is going to gave to get past Alberto Contador if he hopes to pull off the miracle and win another Tour de France - and as of today, that doesn't seem very likely. Race leader Alberto Contador of Spain and Astana rides towards victory on stage 18 of the 2009 Tour de France, a 40km Time Trial around Lake Annecy, on July 7, 2009 in Annecy, France. (Getty Images) more pics » "Now I am more comfortable going ahead toward the GC," Alberto Contador said after the today's stage of... Read Full Story
Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will remain with the Astana team at least until his contract expires at the end of next year, an official with the Kazakh Cycling Federation said Thursday. The Spaniard's future with Astana has been unclear for months amid persistent doubts about the Kazakh team's financial viability. "We have absolutely no problems with Alberto Contador, and he will compete with Astana next season," Kazakh Cycling Federation deputy president Nikolai Proskurin said... Read Full Story
Kazakh cycling team Astana, still awaiting their ProTour licence, insisted Friday they are hopeful of keeping Tour de France champion Alberto Contador among their riders. Astana and four other teams - Caisse d'Epargne, Euskaltel, Saxo Bank and Sky - were on Thursday found lacking by the International Cycling Union (UCI) in their administration and financing. While the teams still have the possibility of putting their books in order to obtain a ProTour licence, their riders, including... Read Full Story
French prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation to examine syringes found in medical waste containers during the Tour de France. The case was opened after the discovery of several suspicious syringes in a container given by organizers to all the teams to collect medical waste, the Paris prosecutors office said Tuesday, on the eve of the 2010 Tour course unveiling. However, the office said it was not targeting a specific team from this year's tour, refuting a report by L'Equipe... Read Full Story
Seven-times champion Lance Armstrong admitted next year's Tour de France could offer victory opportunities to a bigger field of rivals after the organisers' unveiled the 2010 route on Wednesday. Beginning in Rotterdam on July 3 and ending in Paris July 25, the 97th edition of the world's toughest bike race will cover an approximate total distance of 3,590 kilometres. However in keeping with the organisers' annual bid to innovate, there will be few mountain top finishes, only one individual... Read Full Story
A doping inspector with the International Cycling Union (UCI) has backed the body's claims that Lance Armstrong's team were not given special treatment by UCI anti-doping inspectors at the 2009 Tour de France. Doctors from France's national anti-doping agency (AFLD) carried out most of the drug testing at July's three-week epic, won by Armstrong's Astana teammate Alberto Contador, under the watchful eye of UCI inspectors. The AFLD has since alleged the UCI were slack in their approach to the... Read Full Story
PARIS (Reuters) - A preliminary investigation into several teams who took part in the 2009 Tour de France has been launched after suspicious medical material was seized during the race, Paris prosecutors said on Tuesday. Syringes and transfusion equipment believed to belong to teams were found in containers provided to dump medical waste and are currently being analyzed, a spokeswoman for the prosecutors said. "It (the material) is now being analyzed by experts to determine whether we can... Read Full Story
