The Astana Qazaqstan administration are staying tightlipped about stories of a proposal by a Chinese businessman to purchase the workforce and make investments appreciable sums over 5 years to make it one of many top-three groups within the peloton.
According to a report in L’Équipe, the longstanding Kazakh squad has acquired a proposal to buy the ultimate 12 months of their WorldTour licence for 2025.
When contacted by Cyclingnews to ask in regards to the potential deal, workforce supervisor Alexander Vinokourov responded with a categorical ‘No remark.’
He claimed he was in Kazakhstan however one other sources steered he was in China.
Astana Qazaqstan are making ready for the 2024 Tour de France with the workforce centred on British sprinter Mark Cavendish making a bid for a record-breaking thirty fifth stage win. Cavendish is due to participate within the Tour de Suisse which begins on Sunday.
18 of the groups’ present 29 riders out of contract in 2025, based on L’Équipe, which “might properly result in a significant overhaul of the workforce.”
The French newspaper additionally speculates that any takeover might result in a doubling within the squad’s finances, making it a brilliant workforce within the sport alongside UAE Team Emirates, Visma-Lease a Bike, Lidl-Trek and Ineos Grenadiers.
Astana have confronted monetary difficulties and finances reductions lately and face a battle for rating factors to keep away from relegation from the WorldTour on the finish of 2025.
Since Astana took over as a title sponsor in 2006, the workforce has been one of many WorldTour’s longest standing set-ups, with wins within the Tour de France in 2014 with Vincenzo Nibali and Alberto Contador in 2009 two of the largest highlights.
A report in Globalpeloton cited an unnamed supply as saying preliminary contacts had been established between Astana Qazaqstan and Chinese bike firm Pardus a couple of potential secondary sponsorship deal. However, based on the identical supply, these negotiations had not succeeded because of the request for important funding and bikes in return for a spot within the WorldTour.
The China Glory-Mentech Continental workforce was created to assist develop Chinese riders however an funding in Astana Qazaqstan would certainly see big-name riders main the workforce.
Nothing has been confirmed however in a latest state go to to the Pyrenees by Chinese President Xi Jinping, he was gifted a Tour de France chief’s jersey by his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.