Astana Cycling Team

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The Astana road cycling team is getting a brother with the Track Team Astana. While the track team itself was founded last winter it steps up its program now. Professional riders will be racing under the guidance of Vadim Kravchenko, reports sport.nur.kz. The team will have its first appearance at home, with the World Cup being fought out in Astana, Kazakhstan, November 4 to 6.

Kravchenko is a junior World Champion on the track. Besides head coach he will also serve as the General Manager. The federation does not expect wonders. "The Track Team Astana is just at the beginning of the career, so we are not waiting for big victories at the next World Cup." Krachenkov said that regular participation in international events will allow the team to properly prepare for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
There will be a women's team as well, headed by experienced Natalia Stefano and Rima Lushchenko, the latter being from Astana.

During the track World Cup, Astana's road racer Andrey Kashechkin will go for a new country hour record. He won't aim to beat the world record by Czech Ondřej Sosenka rider of 49.7 kilometers, but hopes to set a new best mark for Kazakhstan.