XDS Astana

XDS Astana Team is a professional road bicycle racing team sponsored by the Samruk-Kazyna, a coalition of state-owned companies from Kazakhstan and named after its capital city Astana. Astana attained UCI ProTeam status in its inaugural year, 2007. Wikipedia

Latest Stories

Road Racing

Brutal Video Shows Four Cyclists Riding Over Thomas Silva’s Legs After Crash

‘Nothing changes’: Riders vent frustration after a week of wrong-way motorcycles, vehicles on the course, and crashes that ended seasons.

Andrew HoodOctober 9, 20263

Vuelta a España

Luca Van Boven Somehow Finished Mountain Stage With a Collapsed Lung at Vuelta a España

Alessandro Romele receives a UCI yellow card after a violent crash sent Van Boven into a wall, leaving him with broken ribs and ending his Vuelta.

Andrew HoodAugust 29, 20261

Road Gear

Work All Day for 20 Minutes of Tension—Inside the Tour de France Team Time Trial

We took a ride with XDS-Astana before their team time trial and saw just how much work goes into a day that was undone with just one mistake.

Logan Jones-WilkinsJuly 5, 2026

Tour de France

Two Massive Crashes Rock Tour de France Team Time Trial

Video reveals how riders from Groupama-FDJ and XDS Astana crash during the Tour de France's opening team time trial.

Andrew HoodJuly 6, 2026

Road Racing

Wardrobe Randoms: The Stories Behind Astana’s Snazzy Socks and Vingegaard’s Big Red Lid

Vingegaard 'honored' to represent building material supplier Bygma with custom Giro helmet; Astana has a clever reason behind its curious time trial socks and gloves curation.

Jim CottonMarch 12, 2025

Road Racing

Astana Qazaqstan Devo Rider Hit with Four-Year Ban After Testing Positive for EPO Variant

UCI confirms 22-year-old Kazakh racer Ilkhan Dostiyev will be ineligible through 2028 after returning two positive tests for the CERA blood booster.

Jim CottonJanuary 15, 2025

News

Where’s Caleb Ewan? Botched Transfer Leaves Aussie Ace in Limbo at Start of 2025

Multiple sources confirm Ewan is facing uncertainty after requesting an exit from his existing contract and a planned transfer fell through.

Andrew HoodJanuary 10, 2025

News

UPDATED: Astana Sends Sprinter Ace Syritsa to B-Team as Chinese-Backed XDS Era Begins

New-look XDS Astana confirms arrival of a Chinese racer and is reshuffling its deck for 2025 as it chases WorldTour salvation.

Andrew HoodJanuary 3, 2025

Road Racing

You Probably Haven't Heard of Astana’s New Chinese Bike Sponsor — But It's More Popular Than You Think

Wilier is out at Astana. What is Chinese brand XDS and its X-Lab bike?

Alvin HolbrookDecember 13, 2024

Road Racing

New Names, New Jerseys: 2025 Rebrands for XDS Astana and Picnic-PostNL, Fresh Kits for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and UAE Emirates

Chinese mega-sponsor XDS officially joins WorldTour, online supermarket Picnic partners Dutch team, Pogačar and Roglič get new kits.

Shane StokesDecember 13, 2024

Road Racing

Can Astana Survive in the Post-Cavendish Era? Team Pins Hopes on New Performance Crew

Astana-Qazaqstan signs retired TT ace Alex Dowsett and three more performance staff for 2025 as it fights for survival without its lead sprinter.

Jim CottonNovember 13, 2024

Road Racing

Lotto-Dstny, Israel-Premier Tech in Pole Position as Relegation-Promotion Tightens Up for 2025

The two teams that were relegated in 2022 — Israel and Lotto — look to have a lock on promotion by end of 2025.

Andrew HoodNovember 13, 2024

Road Racing

‘I Was so on the Limit’: Mark Cavendish Retires with ‘Win’ at Singapore Criterium

Mark Cavendish finally calls time on an illustrious career full of dizzy highs and sometimes dramatic lows in Singapore.

The VELO TeamNovember 10, 2024

Road Racing

‘Our Team Is Not Facing Any Difficulties’: Astana-Qazaqstan Misses UCI WorldTour Deadline, But Denies Problems

UCI announces teams which have submitted necessary registration documents, Astana and Ceratizit fall short for now.

Shane StokesOctober 19, 2024

Road

‘Final Race of His Career’: Tour de France Organizer Says Mark Cavendish to Retire after Singapore Criterium

Manxman has been vague about intentions, while Astana-Qazaqstan team indicates its position.

Shane StokesOctober 10, 2024

Road Training

‘I Won’t Do Another Tour de France:’ Will Newly Knighted Mark Cavendish Further Delay Retirement?

Tour stage record holder remains vague about whether or not he will continue in the sport.

Shane StokesOctober 3, 2024

Tour de France

Never Say Never: Mark Cavendish Keeps Us Hanging as He Refuses to Confirm His Retirement

'We'll see what happens in the future': Cavendish floats possibility of another season in the pro peloton following new all-time Tour de France record.

Jeremy WhittleSeptember 14, 2024

Road Racing

Julian Alaphilippe Ends Quick-Step Era in Blockbuster Move to Tudor Pro Cycling

Also Monday, Wout Poels confirms move to Astana Qazaqstan, Ethan Hayter jumps to Quick-Step as transfer season hots up.

Shane StokesAugust 19, 2024

Road Racing

Transfer Shocks: Bettiol joins Astana in Mid-Season Switch, Former Ineos Chief Ellingworth to Bahrain Victorious

Bettiol leaves EF Education-EasyPost after five and a half years, Ellingworth returns to Bahrain to focus on its Tour de France objectives.

Jim CottonAugust 15, 2024

Road Racing

'You Never Want to Regret Not Doing Something': Cavendish Reveals Inner-Drive to Chase Tour de France Record

'It shows anything is possible': Cavendish digs into what pushed him on against naysayers, age, injuries, and rivals.

Andrew HoodAugust 9, 2024