Astana Cycling Team

“It was a day a little moved, with rain, wind and some cold. There’s been all, but my feelings were good”, said Alberto Contador at the conclusion of the first day of the Volta ao Algarve, in his season debut. Alberto finished sixteenth, 5 seconds behind the winner, Vaugrenard (Française), which crossed the line slightly leading ahead of Horrach (3″) and Greipel (4″), times that were added to bonuses (10, 6 and 4 seconds).

Photo - ContadorInfo

“I’m very happy with the team”, also wanted to highlight. “My teammates have worked to perfection, though it was only a transitional stage, pending what happens in the coming days”. Despite which, in the last kilometers could also be seen alone in front of the pack. Alberto attacked on the last climb and was a few meters ahead. “The important thing today was how were my legs, and my feeling was good”, he said thinking on Friday, with a climb final and important first step, before last day’s time trial.
Alberto, on Twitter
In the Volta ao Algarve, on the other hand, Alberto Contador will offer via Twitter his impressions both in and out of the race. “From now those who wish follow me and read my comments may do so through my profile, @albertocontador” says the leader of Astana, thus adding this option of direct communication with the already known www.albertocontador.com page and the new team’s official site, www.astana.lu, which is launching now.
Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

Alberto Contador: “I look forward to compete”

Photo: © InfoContador

Alberto Contador returns to racing tomorrow after the longest period of voluntary rest of his career, which makes the Volta ao Algarve an appointment that the Astana leader has waited with great desire, but also points out that precisely because of this “I do not get the same opportunities as in 2009 when I won the overall.”

How do you come to the first race of 2010?

I am especially looking forward to. I am a rider who likes to compete and that’s what motivates me. I think I came with a good level, but not with that of 2009 when I won. I’m fine, but what I want is to make a good preparation for the Paris-Nice, that I want to contest.

Can you compare your feelings with those of last year?

The sensations are good, but in 2009 I came from a stage in the U.S. where I worked very well and this year, however, has been a very bad weather in Madrid and I have not trained as I like. Anyway, this is the first race of the year and we should not pay too much importance.

Have you changed your training or have done it as previous years?

No, I have done more or less like other years, perhaps with more long trainings in 2009, with the idea to adjust a little more weight, because I’m still 63,5 kg, 2 kg above the weight of the Tour , and you can feel that. Read the rest of this entry →

17 – 21 february 2010: Volta ao Algarve

Alberto Contador will participate next Wednesday at the Tour of Algarve in Portugal. This is for the leader of the Astana team the first race of the season, which is the start of his long preparation for the Tour de France.

Composition of the team Astana for the Tour Algarve:

• Alberto CONTADOR
• David DE LA FUENTE
• Maxim GOUROV
• Andriy GRIVKO
• Jesùs HERNANDEZ
• Daniel NAVARRO
• Benjamen NOVAL
• Sergey RENEV

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

The Astana team has done a good week back on French roads in the Tour Méditerranéen. With Maxim Iglinskiy, 3rd in the final standings behind Valverde and Nocentini, and Alexandre Vinokourov at the 5th place.

“We tried to trap Valverde on the slopes of Mont-Faron, said Alexandre Vinokourov, but with the cold and snow, our efforts were difficult. Nevertheless we can be satisfied with our work.”

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

Today’s the birthday of Mirko Selvaggi !!!

On this special day Warm & Happy wishes for you from all of astanafans!
Make your dreams come true!

Not long ago, Nickolay Proskurin answered some questions for Astana fans. He had very interesting things to say about some of the new riders and staff, and about his son’s role at the team. He knows the team will keep Alberto Contador safe on the cobbles. And he showed a lot of confidence in the young Kazakhs!

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Nickolay Abramovich, when and where will the presentation of Astana be?

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Astana’s presentation will be around 29-30 January in Vienna. There were plans for having it in Monaco, but there are certain priorities – Kazakhstan is chairing the OSCE this year (the headquarters are in Vienna), plus Kazakhstan may surprise people in Europe, except for Astana being leaders, right?

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At what level will the presentation be—modest or in a big way…with a concert program?

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At a good level. We are not going to have a presentation that’s just a show!

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And what about a presentation in Kazakhstan?

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The team cannot afford to have two presentations. In general, teams rarely hold presentations in the countries in which they belong, they try to hold them…in exotic countries. Read the rest of this entry →

February 3, Stage 1: Aigues Mortes – Le Grau du Roi 146km

Stage 1 Results:

1 Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team, 3:42:49
2 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly, 00:00
3 Arnaud Molmy (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole, 00:00

Astana Stage 1:

15 Enrico Gasparotto, 00:00
31 Valeriy Dmitriyev, 00:00
34 Andriy Grivko, 00:00 Read the rest of this entry →

The Astana Cycling Team will start in France in Tour Mediterraneen from 10th to 14th February with the follow roster:

- Assan BAZAYEV (KAZ), Allan DAVIS (AUS), Dmitriy FOFONOV (KAZ), Enrico GASPAROTO (ITA), Maxim IGLINSKIY (KAZ), Mirko SELVAGGI (ITA), Gorazd STANGELJ (SLO), Alexander VINOKOUROV (KAZ)

The team will be led for the occasion by sports director Alexander SHEFER and Dmitriy SEDOUN.

Astana Cycling Team Communication Department