Astana Pro Team
The Astana Pro Team (formerly ONCE, Liberty Seguros - Würth, Astana - Würth briefly ) is a Kazakh cycling team with UCI ProTeam status as and based in Luxembourg.
- 2.1 new beginning
- 2.2 New Stars
- 2.3 Vuelta a España
- 2.4 struggle for a new ProTeam license
- 3.1 Achievements in the UCI World Tour
- 3.2 Achievements in the UCI Asia Tour
- 3.3 Additions - Disposals
- 3.4 team
Team History and Sponsors
History
After the Spanish Blind ONCE lottery company had 2003 completed the financing of the team ONCE, the athletic director Manolo Saiz and most of the former driver remained loyal to the team and the insurer Liberty Seguros was won as a new main sponsor. From U.S. Postal Roberto Heras came to the team, which was later found guilty of doping.
After the doping scandal Fuentes Manolo Saiz resigned from the team, and Liberty Seguros ended his involvement. Main sponsor was a Kazakh consortium of eight working in agricultural enterprises, especially the Luxembourg-based world's largest steel group ArcelorMittal, which gave the name of the new Kazakh capital Astana Team, and the Luxembourg Marc Biver took over the management of the team. In September 2007, Team Manager Biver was the former Discovery Manager and Lance Armstrong confidant Johan Bruyneel replaced.
The team was equipped with wheels to the end of 2007 the company BMC bikes. However, the company ended its sponsorship due to numerous doping revelations end of the season 2007. Since January 1, 2008, the American company Trek equips the team with bikes from. Until 3 July 2006, the German fastening and assembly technology trading company Würth worked as a co-sponsor.
Today is the Samruk - Kazyna state holding Fund 's main sponsor.
End of 2012, the team applied for membership in the movement for a credible cycling MPCC and suspended the driver Andrei Grigoryevich Kaschetschkin because he refused to sign the teaminterenen Anti-Doping Rules.
Jersey History
2008
2009
2010
2011
Seasons 2005/ 06
In the 2005 Tour de France the team was rather unremarkable except for a stage win by Marcos Serrano on the 18th stage. Announced on 26 July 2005 Alexander Vinokourov, that he was going from the 2006 Liberty Seguros - Würth for.
After the Vuelta 2005, the overall winner of the Tour, Roberto Heras, the EPO doping was convicted six months later, the athletic director Manolo Saiz has been demonstrated entanglement in another doping scandal. Main sponsor Liberty Seguros rose on 25 May 2006 with immediate effect from the contract with the team from, but its financial obligations the company wanted to meet up to the end of the season. In addition to sponsor Würth continued his involvement continued, however. An initially planned exit of the entire team from the current Giro d' Italia, however, was revised. The participation in the Tour de France seemed endangered, and the team started with some then races taking place without a main sponsor.
New beginning
Because one named after the Kazakh capital Astana consortium got in early June 2006 as a new main sponsor, the dissolution of the team could be averted. Pablo Anton took over the post of team manager by the now retired Manolo Saiz. First, the team played under the name Würth team the Dauphine Libere and the Tour de Suisse, as the world governing body UCI had the new team yet been granted a license. Shortly before the tour, the team under the name of Astana - Würth was allowed to start the race at the UCI ProTour.
However, the organization of the Tour de France resisted and demanded that Astana - Würth renounce due to the involvement in the doping scandal in 2006 to a start in the Tour de France. The team was, however, for its launch, and since it had a ProTour license, it could not be discharged without further notice. The organization of the tour (ASO ) withdrew before the International Court of Sport in Lausanne, but there were no hard evidence against the team, the suit was dismissed ASO, Astana - Würth and would have to start in the Tour. However, the tour management had agreed with the athletic directors of the participating teams that the riders who are on the seized during the raid in May 2006 Prohibited List will be excluded from the tour. Since this is in the Astana - Würth team acted five drivers, more than half the team, the team that was not allowed to start with his four remaining starters according to the Tour de France Regulations have been, from the Tour 2006 excluded. Due to this incident, the co-sponsor Würth ended on 3 July 2006 with immediate effect his commitment.
Alexander Vinokourov had meanwhile informed that he planned with the help of the Kazakh consortium " Astana ", which is also the main sponsor at the same time, Active Bay to take over the operating company of the team, and not to let the team start as a Spanish, but as Kazakh team. It had already given with the owners of Active Bay, Manolo Saiz and Pablo Anton, a deal with a handshake. Upon request of Alexander Vinokourov former Giro winner Tony Rominger should take over the management of the team from 2007. The rest of the 2006 season ended the team with a decimated squad.
By the end of the year, the former team boss took over from T-Mobile Team Walter Godefroot a post as adviser to the team. His job was to bring a new structure and order to the team. He also put together the necessary documents for the world governing body UCI to obtain the ProTour license. Godefroot, who took over this post at the request of Alexander Vinokourov, joined the Vattenfall cyclassics first time as head of the team.
In Germany tour, the team could then celebrate their first win under new names, as Assan Basayev won the first stage. After the first success since the suspension of several riders before the Tour de France was announced that Marc Biver, former director of the Tour de Suisse, new team manager and sporting director Walter Godefroot is. Tony Rominger had the offer to become team manager rejected. The team should then proceed to a Kazakh license. Especially Andrei Kaschetschkin could still draw attention to themselves in the Germany tour of his climbing abilities, and in third place in the overall standings.
New Stars
One day before the start of the Vuelta a España declared the T -Mobile professionals Andreas Klöden, second in the 2006 Tour de France, and Matthias Kessler, stage winner at the Tour de France, 2006 that it will drive the upcoming season for the team Astana. The former Team Principal of Klöden, T -Mobile, and current adviser to the team Astana, Walter Godefroot was surprised about the change and explained that Kloden would have no claim to the captain role, because Vinokourov will be unrestricted captain of the team. On September 1, it was announced that the two-time Giro winner Paolo Savoldelli d'Italia - riding for Astana in 2007. After Vinokourov, Klöden and Kessler, he is already the fourth professional in Astana, which was active at T-Mobile. In the new season, the team is supplemented by Mario Kummer in the sporting line. As bike sponsor of the Swiss bicycle manufacturer BMC receives its involvement in professional cycling after the dissolution of the team Phonak continues to maintain.
Vuelta a España
On the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España, Alexander Vinokourov took the stage win, after he had attacked in the final kilometer slightly rising and the sprinters competition could depend. The day before, on the 7th stage with summit finish, Vinokourov was torn from the top group in 1500 meters to go and already looked like the sure winner, Alejandro Valverde before the finish line ascended about 200 meters with a magnificent beginning to Vinokourov and him allowed to stand easy.
By the ninth section was one days after Winokurows Triumph the queen stage of the Vuelta on the program. On the last climb Vinokourov attacked again from the top group out, and only teammate Andrei Kaschetschkin could follow. Vinokourov took the overall in better placed Kaschetschkin up the mountain, and the Kazakh tandem went up to 30 seconds ahead of the group of favorites to Valverde and Carlos Sastre out. In the last two kilometers Alejandro Valverde took alone the prosecution of the two Kazakhs on, and the projection of the two melted, then Vinokourov increased the pace, but Kaschetschkin could not keep up. Vinokourov drove alone to meet his second stage win, while Valverde could catch and hang Kaschetschkin. After the stage came the first rest day.
The next day, the team was back in the spotlight. A leading group was allowed to settle among the drivers also Sergio Paulinho. The Portuguese attacked out just before the finish from the top flight and won the stage. It was the third stage win for the team in a row. After the first individual time trial saw anything like it, that Valverde and Vinokourov would account for the overall victory among themselves. Although Kaschetschkin was also relatively well in the overall standings, but could not compete with the best on stage 16 and lost time.
On the 17th stage, the two Kazakhs played their numerical superiority in the group of favorites. Kaschetschkin could first from the group to settle and a few kilometers from the top of the final climb followed Vinokourov. In the descent to the finish of the overall leader Valverde could ascend to the two Kazakhs, although again, but Vinokourov attacked immediately with success. He got close to the finish an outlier Tom Danielson and gave him the victory. More important to him was that he had moved out a big lead on its competitors. Vinokourov took the golden jersey as the leader in the overall standings, with nine seconds ahead of Valverde.
He could even extend to the 18th and final mountain stage of the projection, as Valverde have the days before probably cost too much force. Again there were Vinokourov and Kaschetschkin that together the last few kilometers to the finish had worked up the mountain. Kaschetschkin was thus able to win the fourth stage of this year's Vuelta for Team Astana, and Vinokourov had possibly the Vuelta ahead of schedule decided for themselves.
But the penultimate stage should bring with an individual time trial of the final decision. But the big competitor Valverde could Vinokourov oppose anything. Vinokourov, who celebrated his 33rd birthday on that day, also won the time trial and thus the Vuelta a España. The first major tour for Astana ended with an outstanding balance for the team. Victory in the overall standings and the combined score for Vinokourov, third place for Kaschetschkin and a total of five stage wins.
Struggle for a new ProTeam license
In fall 2006, cycling 's world governing body UCI announced that for legal reasons Manolo Saiz and its operating company Active Bay, the ProTeam license can not be revoked and he could start with a team in the 2007 season, he should meet the financial and competitive conditions. Since Astana had seceded from Active Bay and had actually expected that their licenses Active Bay was transferred, the team had to apply for a new license. However, with Unibet.com and the Team Barloworld he added two competitors. In addition, there were problems with Astana because of a bank guarantee submitted too late. Positive but could ASO, RCS Sport and Unipublic reported. The three companies hold a total of eleven of the 27 ProTour races, including the three major country tours Giro d' Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España, have announced that Astana would receive a wildcard for each of their races. On 19 December 2006 Astana was the last of the 20 ProTeam licenses issued from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2010. Reason for this was that the UCI of the operating company of Manolo Saiz did not renew the license among others.
2014 season
Successes in the UCI World Tour
Successes in the UCI Asia Tour
Additions - Disposals
Team
Placings in UCI rankings
UCI ProTour
UCI World Calendar
UCI World Tour