Astana Cycling Team

It was winning stage for Astana.
Sedun was worried overnight not to forget to buy champagne.
On the start day champagne came by itself .-)
Cazanove provided a box of noble drink, advertised while were making a photo with Alberto.

A half of all water bottles was distributed among fans and technical cars were loaded with champagne today.
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Morning of 25 of July we met in 180 km from Paris.
The first thing I had seen near the hotel was new yellow bike’s frame of Contador.
Faustino assembled the new bike from the beginning.

You will not find any photos of this bike’s assembling in internet because I was the only person with a camera near the bike at that moment.
Only after the individual race when it was absolutely clear that the yellow T-shirt was with Astana for 100%, the team could brag of the yellow bike as well. There were winner’s name, pistols, Tour’s logotypes on the bike’s frame.

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Only Alberto hadn’t started yet.
It was his turn of preparation.
There was something wrong with his bike, which was fixed by a file in order to race faster.

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Here are the riders to be present for the race Tour of Poland:

• Oscar Pereiro (SPA)
• Assan Bazayev (KAZ)
• Allan Davis (AUS)
• Alexandr Dyachenko (KAZ)
• Dimitri Fofonov (KAZ)
• Maxim Gourov (KAZ)
• Mirko Selvaggi (ITA)
• Andrey Zeits (KAZ)

Sport Manager : Alexandr Shefer

All racers started, only leaders remained.
Sasha started warming up.

Dmitry Sedoun rode the route overnight and was discussing the nuances with Vino.

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Here are the riders to be present for the race CLASICA SAN SEBASTIAN:

• Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ)
• David De La Fuente (SPA)
• Jesus Hernandez (SPA)
• Maxim Iglinsky (KAZ)
• Josep Jufre (SPA)
• Daniel Navarro (SPA)
• Sergey Renev (KAZ)
• Goradz Stangelj (SLO)

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

Hi all!

I’m completely behind of schedule, my photo report is late and I’m very sorry but I couldn’t stand pace.
To follow the team, take pictures, after that to select and process photos is the task for the whole editorial staff.
So please don’t be angry with me.

So the individual race.
It is decisive day as today the Tour’s result will be clear and we will know if yellow T-shirt will stay with Contador.
Start is at the same place where finish was yesterday.
Hotel is only 6 km from the start, that is why racers were delivered to the start one by one, one hour and a half before the start.
Bikes for individual race were prepared overnight.

Teams disposed buses, arranged awnings, set up cycling machines. Read the rest of this entry →

We have learned through a statement issued by his press service, that Alberto Contador no longer wishes to ride for the Astana team with whom he won two Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and Tour Spain. For three years, the sponsor of Kazakhstan has offered him the best working conditions to enrich his record.
 
Alberto Contador himself had desired before the start of the Tour de France to find quickly an agreement to extend his contract with Team Astana. Our proposal was superior to the contract he had so far but it should be ratified as soon as possible to arrange for future season in the best conditions. Alberto Contador had himself called for this condition to pass a more serene off season.
 
By setting a dead line on July 25 evening of the arrival of the Tour de France and then extending it to 48 hours as he had requested, we thought we had complied with the wishes of Alberto Contador. We have never put any pressure, we have always acted according to his will.
 
His decision to leave does not depend on us but on other outside proposals. We respect his choice, and wish him good luck.

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department