XDS, a manufacturer of carbon products, has committed to Astana Qazaqstan for at least five years. The intention is bring back the team at the top of the WorldTour.
“Since 2022, we started seeking for the opportunity to get involved in the WorldTour. It was very lucky that we met Astana Qazaqstan Team this year in the Shanghai show. During discussions we were sure that Astana was the team we wanted. For the following seasons, XDS will be the strongest backup for the team. We will make sure the team has very enough budget and the best technical support”, said Yancong Tan, CEO of XDS.
“We have been diligently searching for an investor capable of taking the team to a new level of development”, said Alexandre Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan.
“We are pleased that the management of XDS fully shares our goals and future vision for the project. During the negotiations, we discussed many topics, and our views on the development of the team completely coincided. XDS is ready for long-term investment, which, among other things, will include technical partnership with a new bicycle brand. We understand that the team and the entire project as a whole will face some significant changes, but we are ready for this. I am very happy to be part of this project and look to the future with great enthusiasm”.
The Chinese investment should allow team boss Vinokourov to attract some reinforcements to score enough points to stay in the WorldTour. One of the names big names already rumoured to sigh with the team is Kaden Groves. The Australian sprinter should earn the necessary points in the sprints so the team can retain their WorldTour status for the next license period of 2026 until 2029.
