Astana Cycling Team

Top-class team will ride for Roman Kreuziger

Pro Team Astana have unveiled the nine riders who will represent the team at the Giro d’Italia. The squad will be captained by Roman Kreuziger, who will line up alongside Alexandr Dyachenko, Enrico Gasparotto, Tanel Kangert, Evgueny Petrov, Simone Ponzi, Kevin Seeldraeyers, Paolo Tiralongo and Andrey Zeits.

Commenting on the selection, Team Manager Giuseppe Martinelli said: “Choosing the nine starters was not an easy task. Shefer, Sedoun and I waited until the last possible moment so we could assess the condition of each and every rider as well as possible.

“The decision came down to those who have got the best skills for assisting Roman Kreuziger to get a big result. We will be lining up with a really tight squad, which will be aiming above all for the general classification but which will also have the ability to make an impression in the stages.”

Astana directeur sportif Guido Bontempi will take charge of the Giro squad alongside fellow DS Alexandr Shefer, who gave us his view: “Roman Kreuziger is our only captain and, as Mr Martinelli said, all the others will be riding for him.

“We think we have combined our riders’ skills really well, meaning we’ve got a team that works for every stage, whether high in the mountains or in the stages that, on paper, are thought to be easier.

“We will be relying a great deal on Gasparotto, Ponzi and Dyachenko for stage victories. The first two had a phenomenal campaign in the Ardennes, bringing us wins at both the Amstel and the Liège, while Dyachenko had an excellent Tour of Turkey, where he took second place in the GC.”

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