Astana Cycling Team

Here is the list of riders to be present for the race Tirreno-Adriatico:

• Assan BAZAYEV (KAZ)

• Allan DAVIS (AUS)
• Valeriy DMITRIYEV (KAZ)
• Enrico GASPAROTTO (ITA)
• Maxim IGLINSKIY (KAZ)
• Mirko SELVAGGI (ITA)
• Alexandre VINOKOUROV (KAZ)
• Andrey ZEITS (KAZ)

Press-conference of Alexandre Vinokourov:

Date: Tuesday 9th March 2010 at 5.00pm
Place: MY ONE GALILEI
Via Darsena 1
PISA

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

Photo ContadorInfo

Alberto Contador will take the start tomorrow in the opening time trial of Paris-Nice, covering a route that he reconned today on his new bicycle. On the new Shiv, modified according to UCI regulations, he hopes to produce a far better performance than in the Algarve, where he was forced to compete with an obsolete model and without time for training. Today, in a press conference, he offered his latest impressions.

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After winning in 2007 and having shown that you were able to win in 2009, what does Paris-Nice mean to you?

It’s a race that I really like and which is held at a period of the year when I’m usually in good form. Besides, it’s a little rehearsal for the Tour de France, with very tense stages, similar routes—above all in the flat stages—and with an extremely high level. Of the first races of the season, it’s probably the most important.

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What lessons have you learned from last year’s bonk?

That was a very important stage and you learn a lot of things from days like that, because really, when things don’t go well is when you can extract some lessons.  There were many factors on that day, but the things I derived from it were good, like how you have to be more stoic in the race, to think about the other candidates for the general and prioritize who the more dangerous ones are, besides, obviously, you can never forget to eat and drink, and even though all riders know that, there’s always some day that you forget.

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How’s the route of this time trial and what do you expect from the new bike?

It’s a tough route and, even though it’s only 8 kilometers, it’s possible to take more time on other riders than you might expect. About the bike, there’s a big difference. This is the Shiv, the one I’ve gotten used to in training, and it’s totally different from the one at the Algarve. I hope to give it a good premiere tomorrow. Read the rest of this entry →

Bruyneel: "What Vinokourov and Kascheskin messed with isn't my mistake and except for those two there's nobody in Kazakhstan. Yes, three domestiques, including two (Iglinskiy & Bazza) I'm not trusting and a bunch of young guys who aren't ready for the Tour de France. I'm being judged on the results and the international image of the team, not on the image of the team in a godforsaken country such as Kazakhstan."

Photo: © Roberto Bettini

We guess it's a good answer, Mr Bruyneel!

Photo - ContadorInfo

Contador: “I’m arriving in good form”

Alberto Contador will begin his second race of the season on Sunday at Paris-Nice, a competition that, since his victory in 2007, has always had a special significance for him. The occasion also marks his first return to French roads since winning the Tour, which has been another source of motivation for reaching the start line in good physical condition. “I’m arriving in a good state of form,” says the leader of Astana, “although I’ve only done a little more work since the Volta ao Algarve.”

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How’s your current condition?

I’ve had a cold, I think as a consequence of the rain we had to put up with in Portugal, but in spite of everything, I think that I’m in good form.

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What have you been doing since your victory in the Algarve? What has changed since then?

I’ve rested a little more than planned, because it was a tough tour, also because I had the cold. Since then I’ve done some training with the idea of brushing up on the work I did during the winter, but I don’t know if I’m better or worse than I was in Portugal, because things were already going really well there.

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In Paris-Nice 2009 you suffered a spectacular bonk, do you have a desire for revenge or is that just an entertaining story from the past?
No, I don’t desire revenge. That was a pretty valuable experience that served to let me know that you can’t be careless about anything and that you have to take a stoic view of the race. It cost me the victory in 2009, yes, but an important experience came with it. Read the rest of this entry →

Here's Team Astana's roster for Paris-Nice (March 7-14):

• Alberto CONTADOR (SPA)
• Dimitri FOFONOV (KAZ)
• Maxim GOUROV (KAZ)
• Daniel NAVARRO (SPA)
• Benjamin NOVAL (SPA)
• Gorazd STANGELJ (SLO)
• Oscar PEREIRO (SPA)
• Andriy GRIVKO (UKR)

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

Because of dental problems, the Kazakh rider won’t be present for the start of the Strade Bianche, this Saturday, March 6. He will consult his doctor tomorrow but will be back on the road to the Tirreno-Adriatico from 10 to 16 March 2010.

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

Here are the riders of Team Astana to be present in Italy for the race Strade Bianche :

Assan BAZAYEV (KAZ)

Allan DAVIS (AUS)

Valeriy DMITRYEV (KAZ)

Enrico GASPAROTTO (ITA)

Maxim IGLINSKIY (KAZ)

Mirko SELVAGGI (ITA)

Alexandre VINOKOUROV (KAZ)

Astana Cycling Team
Communication Department

Gourov concentrates before Stage 2 of the Volta ao Algarve (photo by C. Kahane)

Maxim Gourov is joining the Astana team for the second time in his life. He’s already a very experienced rider and we hope he’ll find himself at home on the team. I tried for two weeks to catch him, but he was moving from one place to another in training to find a place with weather that wouldn’t interfere with riding—It's not so easy in France this winter. This talk was recorded just prior to departure for Calpe training camp. Read the rest of this entry →