Astana Team
Encyclopedia
Astana is a professional road bicycle racing
team
sponsored by the Astana group, 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. Following a major doping scandal involving Kazakhstani rider Alexander Vinokourov
, team management was terminated and new management brought in for the 2008 season. The team was then managed by Johan Bruyneel
, former team manager of U.S. Postal/Discovery Channel
team. Although Astana under Bruyneel was very successful, with a lineup including Grand Tour winners Alberto Contador
and Lance Armstrong
, as well as runners-up Levi Leipheimer
and Andreas Klöden
, the team was on the verge of financial collapse in May 2009. A battle for control of the team related to the return of Vinokourov for the 2009 Vuelta a España
caused Bruyneel and at least fourteen of its riders to leave at the end of the 2009 season, most for . Only four Spanish riders, including Contador, and most of the Kazakhs remained with the rebuilt team for 2010. Those four Spaniards all left the team for in 2011.
and the sponsors Liberty Mutual
, and later Würth, withdrew their sponsorship of the team. Astana stepped in to sponsor the team, and during the second half of the season, Vinokourov won the Vuelta a España while riding for the renamed Team Astana, and his Kazakh teammate Andrey Kashechkin
finished third.
. However, Saiz was reluctant to sell, so Astana applied for a licence in their own right. Initially, the new team was based in Switzerland under the holding company of Zeus Sarl and managed by former Tour de Suisse
organiser Marc Biver. Vinokourov was the team's debut leader.
The UCI
ProTour license commission first informed Astana that they would not be granted a ProTour License for the 2007 season. Following UCI's decision not to grant a ProTour license, the organizers of the three Grand Tours informed Astana Team that they would be included, regardless of ProTour license status. On December 20, 2006 the UCI License Commission relented and awarded Astana Team a 4-year ProTour license.
Other prominent new riders for the 2007 season included stage race specialists Andreas Klöden
, Paolo Savoldelli
and Andrey Kashechkin
, as well as Matthias Kessler
, Grégory Rast
, Thomas Frei
and Spanish climber Antonio Colom
.
. The former Team T-Mobile rider who had won a Tour de France
stage in 2006, was fired in July, and would turn out to be the first of a number of Astana-riders to be tested positive. Later in July, yet another former T-Mobile cyclist, Italian Eddy Mazzoleni
, left the team after allegations of doping usage. Mazzoleni, who had finished 3rd in the 2007 Giro d'Italia
, was later suspended for two years for his alleged involvement in the Oil for Drugs
doping case.
After a positive blood doping
(transfusion) test following the winning time-trial by team-leader Alexander Vinokourov
, organisers "invited" Team Astana's management to withdraw the entire team from the 2007 Tour de France
; this invitation was immediately accepted.
Following confirmation that Vinokourov's B-sample had also tested positive, the Astana Team announced that he had been sacked with immediate effect. On August 1, fellow Kazakh Andrey Kashechkin
tested positive for homologous blood doping following an out-of-competition test in Belek
, Turkey
. He was suspended and subsequently fired as well.
Additionally, the troubled team decided to suspend its activities during the month of August to decide about its future with new regulations.
This was followed by the termination of José Antonio Redondo
's contract after "failing to abide by team rules", making him the fifth rider of the team to leave during the 2007 season.
, the former directeur sportif
of the defunct Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
. Bruyneel had the mandate to start afresh with the team, so he hired a number of former Discovery riders including 2007 Tour de France
winner Alberto Contador
(who had ridden with Vinokourov on the old Liberty Seguros team) and third-place finisher Levi Leipheimer
. Additionally, Bruyneel introduced the anti-doping system developed by Dr. Rasmus Damsgaard, Head of Information for Anti Doping Danmark (ADD). The anti-doping system was initially used by Team CSC
starting in 2007. The link between the Discovery Channel team and Astana was strengthened when Bruyneel signed a contract with Trek Bicycle Corporation
to supply the team with bicycles and components, as they had done with Discovery Channel. Bruyneel also affirmed sponsorship with SRAM
, the component maker.
Riding under a Luxembourg
ian license, the team also included other ex-Discovery Channel riders such as Tomas Vaitkus
, Sérgio Paulinho
, Chechu Rubiera, Vladimir Gusev and Janez Brajkovic
, as well as American Chris Horner
. However, former Discovery Channel rider Savoldelli left the team.
On February 13, 2008, the organisers
of the Tour de France announced that Astana would be barred from the 2008 Tour
due to its links to Operación Puerto
and involvement in the 2007 Tour doping scandals. This meant that Contador was unable to defend his Tour crown, because his contract does not have an "escape clause" that covered Astana's current situation.
. However, on May 3, one week before the start of the race, Giro organizers chose to extend a last-minute invitation to Astana. Astana was able to field a team despite the short notice, and on 1 June, Alberto Contador won the Giro
, finishing 11th on the final stage time trial to keep his pink jersey and take the overall victory. Contador also won the 2008 Vuelta a España
, with teammate Levi Leipheimer finishing a close second. Thus, despite not competing in the Tour de France, Astana still won two Grand Tours in 2008 and achieved three podiums. Leipheimer also won a bronze medal in the time trial in the 2008 Olympics, just edging Contador, who finished fourth.
Among the other results achieved by the team were victories in several stage races: by Contador in the Vuelta al País Vasco
and the Vuelta a Castilla y León, by Leipheimer in the Tour of California
, by Klöden in the Tour de Romandie and by Russian Sergei Ivanov in the Tour de Wallonie
. Various team members also achieved several other top-tier results, and Ivanov, Paulinho, Vaikus and two of the Kazakhs won their national championships.
Astana's strict anti-doping policy came to the forefront later in the year. On July 28 Astana fired Vladimir Gusev for showing "abnormal values" in an internal doping check. In a release from team director Johan Bruyneel it was indicated that although the results "do not indicate the use of banned substances, the team has therefore applied the contractual terms based on these physiological and biological abnormalities", dismissing Gusev "with immediate effect." On June 17, 2009, almost a year later, the Court of Arbitration in Sport ruled that Astana was wrong to fire Gusev based on Dr. Damsgaard's interpretation of blood values and ordered Astana to pay Gusev back wages, damages and legal costs.
On 25 September 2008, it was confirmed that seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong
would leave retirement to ride for the team in the 2009 season. Along with Armstrong, Yaroslav Popovych
, another former Discovery Channel rider, joined the ranks of Astana, which brought the number of former Discovery Channel riders on Astana to nine (Armstrong, Popovych, Contador, Leipheimer, Rubiera, Noval, Vaitkus, Paulinho and Brajkovič).
It was reported that Armstrong would share team leadership with current leader Contador, that he intended to participate in the Tour Down Under
, the Tour of California, Paris–Nice, the Tour de Georgia
, the Critérium du Dauphiné Liberé and the Tour de France
, and that he would receive no salary or bonuses, instead directing his attention to raising awareness for cancer research.
Along with Armstrong and Popovych, Astana also signed Jesús Hernández, who had joined the former Liberty Seguros
team in 2004 when Alberto Contador was one of the riders there, and Basque rider Haimar Zubeldia
. Contador expressed his support for the return of Vinokourov from his two-year doping suspension but seemed less enthusiastic about Armstrong's return.
Armstrong was part of the team that participated in the season's first ProTour race, the 2009 Tour Down Under
. The team's first victory of the season was the 6th stage, followed by the general classification, of the Tour of California by Levi Leipheimer
. In the same week, Alberto Contador
won a stage and the classification of the Volta ao Algarve
, and subsequently two stages in the Paris–Nice race.
Armstrong's participation in the Tour was cast into doubt in late March, after he suffered a broken collarbone
in the Vuelta a Castilla y León
that required surgical repair. However, Armstrong was able to recover in time to ride in the 2009 Giro d'Italia
.
admitted that it had failed to pay its riders amid the financial crisis in Kazakhstan, but a team spokesman said that this was only a delay, that the team was not in danger of folding, and that the team would compete in the 2009 Giro d'Italia
as planned. On 7 May Armstrong, riding for Astana on an unpaid basis, expressed his sympathy for employees waiting for their wages only days before the start of the Giro d'Italia. He also said that if the financial crisis was not resolved, the team's license should be turned over to Bruyneel, which he said was the "most logical solution."
Organizationally, Astana has an unusual structure. Although the Kazakh team holds the UCI license and pays the salaries, the individual rider contracts and equipment leases are held by Bruyneel's Luxembourg-based Olympus SARL, so the team could continue with merely a license transfer. UCI President Pat McQuaid is planning a visit to Astana during the Giro to discuss the team's future. According to Armstrong: "I don't have any concrete answers but I suspect we can find some funding that would get us from June to the end of the year." On May 11, the UCI set a deadline for resolving Astana's financial situation of May 31, the last day of the Giro. If the team has not met its financial obligations by that date, it will be suspended by the UCI. Bruyneel noted that at least the team would be able to finish the Giro under its current banner.
During stage 7 of the Giro, eight of the nine Astana riders, including Armstrong, rode in jerseys with the non-paying sponsors' names nearly faded out in protest over the team's unpaid salaries and remained in such jerseys for the rest of the Giro. The only rider not to participate was Andrey Zeits from Kazakhstan. According to Bruyneel, the names of paying sponsors, such as Trek
and KazMunayGas
, were not blanked out, and the team would continue to "race with these shirts until everything, emphasis on everything, is fixed", as "the riders have only received two months of salary in 2009." On 19 May, Bruyneel announced that the sponsors have paid part of the past-due wages since the start of the protest "but the major part is still missing." On 3 June the Astana team gave financial guarantees to cycling's governing body which will allow them to compete in the 2009 Tour de France
in July, and later that month declared their financial problems to be resolved and the funds secure at least to the end of the season.
On 2 July, Vinokourov stated that he would return to Astana, which he noted was "created for me and thanks to my efforts", when his suspension ended, and that he would ride for Astana in the 2009 Vuelta a España
. He stated that he expected to reach agreement with Bruyneel about his return within the week, but that "if Bruyneel does not want me, it will be Bruyneel who is leaving the team." The next day, the French newspaper L'Equipe
reported that the Kazakh Cycling Federation planned to fire Bruyneel, Armstrong, Leipheimer and many of the other riders and rebuild the team in the model of the old Liberty Seguros team, which was predominantly Spanish. The paper quoted the vice-president of the Kazakh federation as saying, "[Contador] will be our sole leader for years to come [and] will be able to pick out the riders he wants to ride with him. In our mind, the team will be composed of Spanish and Kazakh riders, including Alexander Vinokourov."
On 21 July, with Contador, Armstrong and Klöden holding three of the top four places in the Tour de France, Bruyneel told Belgian channel VRT that Astana as currently constituted was "finished" and that he would be leaving the team, as Vinokourov and the Kazakh federation had discussed, at the end of the season. Despite the comments by Vinokourov and the Kazakhstan federation, Bruyneel and Vinokourov did not reach an agreement regarding Vinokourov's return to Astana for 2009, and the team submitted a preliminary roster to the 2009 Vuelta a España
listing him only as a reserve. Finally, on 24 August, Astana announced that an agreement had been reached between Vinokourov and Bruyneel and that Vinokourov would rejoin the team for the start of the Vuelta. The next day, Armstrong announced that Bruyneel would take over Team RadioShack
in 2010.
moved to RadioShack. Additionally, Schär and Morabito joined . All that remained of Astana was four Spanish riders (Contador, Noval, Navarro and Hernández) and the Kazakhs (except Muravyev). Since then, the team has signed three more Spanish riders, including 2006 Tour champion Óscar Pereiro, to support Contador. Consistent with the July 2009 plan, the 2010 team includes 12 Kazakhstanis and 7 Spaniards among its 26 riders.
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
team
Cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races whether recreational or professional - and the supporting personnel...
sponsored by the Astana group, a coalition of state-owned companies from Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and named after its capital city Astana
Astana
Astana , formerly known as Akmola , Tselinograd and Akmolinsk , is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010...
. Astana attained UCI ProTeam status in its inaugural year, 2007. Following a major doping scandal involving Kazakhstani rider Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana...
, team management was terminated and new management brought in for the 2008 season. The team was then managed by Johan Bruyneel
Johan Bruyneel
Johan Bruyneel is a former road bicycle racer in professional cycling and a directeur sportif for UCI ProTour team . Retiring from racing in 1998, he became director of , a US-based UCI ProTour cycling team...
, former team manager of U.S. Postal/Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team was a United States-based professional road bicycle racing team. It was the continuation of the 2004 U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team. Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner, was its leader until July 2005...
team. Although Astana under Bruyneel was very successful, with a lineup including Grand Tour winners Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
and Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
, as well as runners-up Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
and Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
, the team was on the verge of financial collapse in May 2009. A battle for control of the team related to the return of Vinokourov for the 2009 Vuelta a España
2009 Vuelta a España
The 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5....
caused Bruyneel and at least fourteen of its riders to leave at the end of the 2009 season, most for . Only four Spanish riders, including Contador, and most of the Kazakhs remained with the rebuilt team for 2010. Those four Spaniards all left the team for in 2011.
Demise of Liberty Seguros-Würth
Astana first became involved in sponsoring cycling during the 2006 season. The Liberty Seguros-Würth team was heavily implicated in the Operación Puerto doping caseOperación Puerto doping case
Operación Puerto is the code name of a Spanish Police operation against the doping network of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, started in May 2006, which resulted in a scandal that involved several of the world most famous cyclists at the time.Media attention has focused on the small number of...
and the sponsors Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual Group, more commonly known by the name of its primary line of business Liberty Mutual, is a diversified global insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the United States based on 2010 net written premium. It is the 82nd company on the Fortune 500 list for 2011...
, and later Würth, withdrew their sponsorship of the team. Astana stepped in to sponsor the team, and during the second half of the season, Vinokourov won the Vuelta a España while riding for the renamed Team Astana, and his Kazakh teammate Andrey Kashechkin
Andrey Kashechkin
Andrey Kashechkin is a Kazakhstani road racing cyclist, who rides for the UCI ProTour team .Kashechkin was born in Kyzyl-Orda, in the former Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic....
finished third.
New team
The new Astana management initially tried to buy the ProTour licence of the former Liberty Seguros-Würth team, held by Manolo SaizManolo Saiz
Manuel "Manolo" Saiz Balbás is the former team manager of one of the most successful Spanish professional road bicycle racing teams, first called Team ONCE, then Liberty Seguros-Würth, Astana-Würth, and lastly Astana Team.Saiz was a hands-on manager and directeur sportif...
. However, Saiz was reluctant to sell, so Astana applied for a licence in their own right. Initially, the new team was based in Switzerland under the holding company of Zeus Sarl and managed by former Tour de Suisse
Tour de Suisse
The Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
organiser Marc Biver. Vinokourov was the team's debut leader.
The UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
ProTour license commission first informed Astana that they would not be granted a ProTour License for the 2007 season. Following UCI's decision not to grant a ProTour license, the organizers of the three Grand Tours informed Astana Team that they would be included, regardless of ProTour license status. On December 20, 2006 the UCI License Commission relented and awarded Astana Team a 4-year ProTour license.
Other prominent new riders for the 2007 season included stage race specialists Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden
Andreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
, Paolo Savoldelli
Paolo Savoldelli
Paolo Savoldelli is an Italian former road racing cyclist and winner of the 2002 and 2005 Giro d'Italia....
and Andrey Kashechkin
Andrey Kashechkin
Andrey Kashechkin is a Kazakhstani road racing cyclist, who rides for the UCI ProTour team .Kashechkin was born in Kyzyl-Orda, in the former Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic....
, as well as Matthias Kessler
Matthias Kessler
Matthias Kessler , is a German professional road racing cyclist who rode for .Kessler debuted as a pro during the 2000 season after becoming German under 23 champion in 1999, a year in which he also took the bronze medal in the under 23 cycling world championships...
, Grégory Rast
Grégory Rast
Grégory Rast is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He will ride for from 2012.- Palmares :20022004...
, Thomas Frei
Thomas Frei
Thomas Frei is a Swiss road bicycle racer. Frei was Swiss Junior champion in road cycling in 2002. Between 2004 and 2006 he cycled for the Bürgis Cycling Team and won the Mountain Championship for U23 cyclists. In the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Frei rode for UCI ProTour team before moving to for...
and Spanish climber Antonio Colom
Antonio Colom
Antonio Colom Mas is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer from Bunyola. He is a specialist in short stage races, having won the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in 2006, the Vuelta a Mallorca in 2004 and the Vuelta a Andalucía in 2002....
.
Doping Issues
In April, Matthias Kessler tested positive for testosterone following a surprise control in CharleroiCharleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
. The former Team T-Mobile rider who had won a Tour de France
2006 Tour de France
The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis....
stage in 2006, was fired in July, and would turn out to be the first of a number of Astana-riders to be tested positive. Later in July, yet another former T-Mobile cyclist, Italian Eddy Mazzoleni
Eddy Mazzoleni
Eddy Mazzoleni is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who most recently rode for UCI ProTour Astana Team....
, left the team after allegations of doping usage. Mazzoleni, who had finished 3rd in the 2007 Giro d'Italia
2007 Giro d'Italia
The 2007 Giro d'Italia was the 90th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It took place from 12 May to 3 June 2007. The race began in Sardinia and finished in Milan, and featured five mountain top finishes, of which one was an individual time trial...
, was later suspended for two years for his alleged involvement in the Oil for Drugs
Oil for Drugs
The Oil for Drugs case is an Italian doping case against doctor Carlo Santuccione and a number of accomplices, started in 2003. He is accused of administering prohibited doping products to professional and amateur athletes, to enhance their performance as well as being involved in doping network...
doping case.
After a positive blood doping
Blood doping
Blood doping is the practice of boosting the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream in order to enhance athletic performance. Because such blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, a higher concentration in the blood can improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity and...
(transfusion) test following the winning time-trial by team-leader Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana...
, organisers "invited" Team Astana's management to withdraw the entire team from the 2007 Tour de France
2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
; this invitation was immediately accepted.
Following confirmation that Vinokourov's B-sample had also tested positive, the Astana Team announced that he had been sacked with immediate effect. On August 1, fellow Kazakh Andrey Kashechkin
Andrey Kashechkin
Andrey Kashechkin is a Kazakhstani road racing cyclist, who rides for the UCI ProTour team .Kashechkin was born in Kyzyl-Orda, in the former Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic....
tested positive for homologous blood doping following an out-of-competition test in Belek
Belek
Belek is a township with own municipality in Serik district in Turkey's Antalya Province. The local population varies between 750 and 10,000 in low and high season, respectively....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. He was suspended and subsequently fired as well.
Additionally, the troubled team decided to suspend its activities during the month of August to decide about its future with new regulations.
This was followed by the termination of José Antonio Redondo
José Antonio Redondo
José Antonio Redondo Ramos is a Spanish racing cyclist who most recently rode for UCI Professional Continental team Andalucía-Cajasur. He never won a pro race up to now. In 2007, he became 2nd in the 2nd stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré and in the 2nd stage of the Vuelta al País Vasco...
's contract after "failing to abide by team rules", making him the fifth rider of the team to leave during the 2007 season.
2008
Following the doping problems of 2007, the sponsors of Astana decided to replace Biver with Johan BruyneelJohan Bruyneel
Johan Bruyneel is a former road bicycle racer in professional cycling and a directeur sportif for UCI ProTour team . Retiring from racing in 1998, he became director of , a US-based UCI ProTour cycling team...
, the former directeur sportif
Directeur sportif
A directeur sportif is a person directing a cycling team during a road bicycle racing event...
of the defunct Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team was a United States-based professional road bicycle racing team. It was the continuation of the 2004 U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team. Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner, was its leader until July 2005...
. Bruyneel had the mandate to start afresh with the team, so he hired a number of former Discovery riders including 2007 Tour de France
2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
winner Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
(who had ridden with Vinokourov on the old Liberty Seguros team) and third-place finisher Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
. Additionally, Bruyneel introduced the anti-doping system developed by Dr. Rasmus Damsgaard, Head of Information for Anti Doping Danmark (ADD). The anti-doping system was initially used by Team CSC
Team CSC
Team Saxo Bank-SunGard is a professional cycling team from Denmark. It competes in the UCI ProTour. The team is owned and managed by former Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis, under the management of his company Riis Cycling. The sponsor is a Danish investment bank.Founded for 1998 Team home – Jack...
starting in 2007. The link between the Discovery Channel team and Astana was strengthened when Bruyneel signed a contract with Trek Bicycle Corporation
Trek Bicycle Corporation
Trek Bicycle Corporation is a major bicycle and cycling product manufacturer and distributor under brand names Trek, Gary Fisher, Bontrager, Klein and until recently, LeMond Racing Cycles...
to supply the team with bicycles and components, as they had done with Discovery Channel. Bruyneel also affirmed sponsorship with SRAM
SRAM (bicycles)
SRAM Corporation is a privately held bicycle component manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1987. SRAM is an acronym comprising the names of its founders, Scott, Ray, and Sam, .In 2008, the company received a strategic investment from Trilantic Capital Partners, formerly known as...
, the component maker.
Riding under a Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
ian license, the team also included other ex-Discovery Channel riders such as Tomas Vaitkus
Tomas Vaitkus
Tomas Vaitkus is a Lithuanian professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team .Vaitkus, nicknamed Tomas the Tank Engine, made his Tour de France debut in the 2007 edition but had to abandon after a serious crash at the end of stage two. announced that he would be joining the team in 2010....
, Sérgio Paulinho
Sérgio Paulinho
Sérgio Miguel Moreira Paulinho is a Portuguese road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He was a domestique in the 2007, 2009 and 2010 Tour de France....
, Chechu Rubiera, Vladimir Gusev and Janez Brajkovic
Janez Brajkovic
Janez Brajkovič is a racing cyclist from Slovenia. He was the world under-23 Time Trial champion in Verona and rides for on the UCI ProTour.-Career:...
, as well as American Chris Horner
Chris Horner
Christopher Horner is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . A native and current resident of Bend, Oregon, Horner dominated the American road racing scene by winning the points standings in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar.-PAA-NutraFig...
. However, former Discovery Channel rider Savoldelli left the team.
On February 13, 2008, the organisers
Amaury Sport Organisation
The Amaury Sport Organisation is part of the French media group, EPA . It organises sporting events including the Tour de France and Paris–Nice professional cycle road races, and the Dakar Rally...
of the Tour de France announced that Astana would be barred from the 2008 Tour
2008 Tour de France
The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
due to its links to Operación Puerto
Operación Puerto doping case
Operación Puerto is the code name of a Spanish Police operation against the doping network of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, started in May 2006, which resulted in a scandal that involved several of the world most famous cyclists at the time.Media attention has focused on the small number of...
and involvement in the 2007 Tour doping scandals. This meant that Contador was unable to defend his Tour crown, because his contract does not have an "escape clause" that covered Astana's current situation.
Results
The Astana team was also not invited to the 2008 Giro d'Italia2008 Giro d'Italia
The 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the cycling team...
. However, on May 3, one week before the start of the race, Giro organizers chose to extend a last-minute invitation to Astana. Astana was able to field a team despite the short notice, and on 1 June, Alberto Contador won the Giro
2008 Giro d'Italia
The 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the cycling team...
, finishing 11th on the final stage time trial to keep his pink jersey and take the overall victory. Contador also won the 2008 Vuelta a España
2008 Vuelta a España
The 2008 Vuelta a España was the 63rd edition of the Vuelta a España, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The event took place from 30 August to 21 September 2008 over 21 stages covering . The first stage was a team time trial in Granada. The event finished in Madrid 23 days later...
, with teammate Levi Leipheimer finishing a close second. Thus, despite not competing in the Tour de France, Astana still won two Grand Tours in 2008 and achieved three podiums. Leipheimer also won a bronze medal in the time trial in the 2008 Olympics, just edging Contador, who finished fourth.
Among the other results achieved by the team were victories in several stage races: by Contador in the Vuelta al País Vasco
2008 Vuelta al País Vasco
The 2008 Vuelta al País Vasco, the 65th edition of the Vuelta al País Vasco stage cycling race, took place from April 7 to April 12, 2008. It was won by Spanish rider Alberto Contador of .-General classification:...
and the Vuelta a Castilla y León, by Leipheimer in the Tour of California
2008 Tour of California
The 2008 Tour of California was the third edition of an eight-day, 650-mile stage race, which began in Palo Alto , then raced through the California redwoods, wine country and the Pacific Coast and finished in Pasadena. The road bicycle racing event was held February 17–24...
, by Klöden in the Tour de Romandie and by Russian Sergei Ivanov in the Tour de Wallonie
Tour de Wallonie
The Tour de Wallonie is a stage race cycling race on the UCI Europe Tour. It runs in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium in the end of July. Between 1974 and 1995 it was reserved to amateurs. Since 2005, the race has been organized as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour- Winners...
. Various team members also achieved several other top-tier results, and Ivanov, Paulinho, Vaikus and two of the Kazakhs won their national championships.
Astana's strict anti-doping policy came to the forefront later in the year. On July 28 Astana fired Vladimir Gusev for showing "abnormal values" in an internal doping check. In a release from team director Johan Bruyneel it was indicated that although the results "do not indicate the use of banned substances, the team has therefore applied the contractual terms based on these physiological and biological abnormalities", dismissing Gusev "with immediate effect." On June 17, 2009, almost a year later, the Court of Arbitration in Sport ruled that Astana was wrong to fire Gusev based on Dr. Damsgaard's interpretation of blood values and ordered Astana to pay Gusev back wages, damages and legal costs.
Return of Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
would leave retirement to ride for the team in the 2009 season. Along with Armstrong, Yaroslav Popovych
Yaroslav Popovych
Yaroslav Popovych is a Ukrainian cyclist with the UCI ProTour team . He was born in Drohobych, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. Under-23 road race champion in 2001, Popovych turned professional in 2002 with , where he performed particularly strongly in the Giro d'Italia, finishing third in 2003...
, another former Discovery Channel rider, joined the ranks of Astana, which brought the number of former Discovery Channel riders on Astana to nine (Armstrong, Popovych, Contador, Leipheimer, Rubiera, Noval, Vaitkus, Paulinho and Brajkovič).
It was reported that Armstrong would share team leadership with current leader Contador, that he intended to participate in the Tour Down Under
Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under is a cycling race in Adelaide, South Australia and surrounding area. The race starts on the third Tuesday of January each year and attracts riders from across Australia and the world. In 2005, the Tour Down Under was promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale to the...
, the Tour of California, Paris–Nice, the Tour de Georgia
Tour de Georgia
The Tour de Georgia is a U.S. professional cycling stage race across the state of Georgia. The race began in 2003 and has been contested six times. It is one of the three events in North America ranked as Hors Classe stage race events by the UCI, which is cycling's international governing body,...
, the Critérium du Dauphiné Liberé and the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, and that he would receive no salary or bonuses, instead directing his attention to raising awareness for cancer research.
Along with Armstrong and Popovych, Astana also signed Jesús Hernández, who had joined the former Liberty Seguros
Liberty Seguros
Liberty Seguros is an international subsidiary of Liberty Mutual Group, a Boston-based insurance company.-Cycling teams:Liberty Seguros sponsored the UCI ProTour cycling team, Liberty Seguros – Würth, but dropped the sponsorship on 25 May 2006 due to the Operación Puerto doping case, involving the...
team in 2004 when Alberto Contador was one of the riders there, and Basque rider Haimar Zubeldia
Haimar Zubeldia
Haimar Zubeldia Agirre is a Spanish professional road racing cyclist who rides for on the UCI ProTour....
. Contador expressed his support for the return of Vinokourov from his two-year doping suspension but seemed less enthusiastic about Armstrong's return.
Armstrong was part of the team that participated in the season's first ProTour race, the 2009 Tour Down Under
2009 Tour Down Under
The 2009 Tour Down Under was the 11th edition of the Tour Down Under cycling stage race, taking place over 20 –25 January around Adelaide, Australia...
. The team's first victory of the season was the 6th stage, followed by the general classification, of the Tour of California by Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
. In the same week, Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
won a stage and the classification of the Volta ao Algarve
Volta ao Algarve
The Volta ao Algarve is a road bicycle racing stage race held annually in the Algarve, Portugal. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. Due to its early February position in the European calendar, it is used by many riders to prepare for the Spring...
, and subsequently two stages in the Paris–Nice race.
Armstrong's participation in the Tour was cast into doubt in late March, after he suffered a broken collarbone
Clavicle fracture
A clavicle fracture is a bone fracture in the clavicle, or collarbone. It is often caused by a fall onto an outstretched upper extremity, a fall onto a shoulder, or a direct blow to the clavicle...
in the Vuelta a Castilla y León
2009 Vuelta a Castilla y León
The 2009 Vuelta a Castilla y León, the 24th running of the race, started on March 23 in Paredes de Nava, and concluded on March 27 in Valladolid. It was won by Levi Leipheimer.-Stage 1 - March 23, 2009: Paredes de Nava - Baltanás, 168.3km:...
that required surgical repair. However, Armstrong was able to recover in time to ride in the 2009 Giro d'Italia
2009 Giro d'Italia
The 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race...
.
Financial crisis
On 6 May 2009 AstanaAstana
Astana , formerly known as Akmola , Tselinograd and Akmolinsk , is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010...
admitted that it had failed to pay its riders amid the financial crisis in Kazakhstan, but a team spokesman said that this was only a delay, that the team was not in danger of folding, and that the team would compete in the 2009 Giro d'Italia
2009 Giro d'Italia
The 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race...
as planned. On 7 May Armstrong, riding for Astana on an unpaid basis, expressed his sympathy for employees waiting for their wages only days before the start of the Giro d'Italia. He also said that if the financial crisis was not resolved, the team's license should be turned over to Bruyneel, which he said was the "most logical solution."
Organizationally, Astana has an unusual structure. Although the Kazakh team holds the UCI license and pays the salaries, the individual rider contracts and equipment leases are held by Bruyneel's Luxembourg-based Olympus SARL, so the team could continue with merely a license transfer. UCI President Pat McQuaid is planning a visit to Astana during the Giro to discuss the team's future. According to Armstrong: "I don't have any concrete answers but I suspect we can find some funding that would get us from June to the end of the year." On May 11, the UCI set a deadline for resolving Astana's financial situation of May 31, the last day of the Giro. If the team has not met its financial obligations by that date, it will be suspended by the UCI. Bruyneel noted that at least the team would be able to finish the Giro under its current banner.
During stage 7 of the Giro, eight of the nine Astana riders, including Armstrong, rode in jerseys with the non-paying sponsors' names nearly faded out in protest over the team's unpaid salaries and remained in such jerseys for the rest of the Giro. The only rider not to participate was Andrey Zeits from Kazakhstan. According to Bruyneel, the names of paying sponsors, such as Trek
Trek Bicycle Corporation
Trek Bicycle Corporation is a major bicycle and cycling product manufacturer and distributor under brand names Trek, Gary Fisher, Bontrager, Klein and until recently, LeMond Racing Cycles...
and KazMunayGas
KazMunayGas
KazMunayGas is the state-owned oil and gas company of Kazakhstan. It was founded in 2002 by merging Kazakhoil and Oil and Gas Transportation.-Subsidiaries:Main subsidiaries of KazMunayGas are:...
, were not blanked out, and the team would continue to "race with these shirts until everything, emphasis on everything, is fixed", as "the riders have only received two months of salary in 2009." On 19 May, Bruyneel announced that the sponsors have paid part of the past-due wages since the start of the protest "but the major part is still missing." On 3 June the Astana team gave financial guarantees to cycling's governing body which will allow them to compete in the 2009 Tour de France
2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
in July, and later that month declared their financial problems to be resolved and the funds secure at least to the end of the season.
Vinokourov versus Bruyneel
During these financial problems, it was rumored that three of the former Discovery Channel riders on the team – team leader Contador and his domestiques Noval and Paulinho – would join Garmin-Slipstream for the Tour de France if Armstrong were to take over the Astana team. These problems seemed to be resolved, at least for the remainder of 2009, when the team's funding was resolved. However, the funding battle may have been merely a skirmish related to the underlying issue: control of the Astana team after the expiration of the two-year doping suspension of Alexander Vinokourov on July 24, 2009.On 2 July, Vinokourov stated that he would return to Astana, which he noted was "created for me and thanks to my efforts", when his suspension ended, and that he would ride for Astana in the 2009 Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
. He stated that he expected to reach agreement with Bruyneel about his return within the week, but that "if Bruyneel does not want me, it will be Bruyneel who is leaving the team." The next day, the French newspaper L'Equipe
L'Équipe
L'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...
reported that the Kazakh Cycling Federation planned to fire Bruyneel, Armstrong, Leipheimer and many of the other riders and rebuild the team in the model of the old Liberty Seguros team, which was predominantly Spanish. The paper quoted the vice-president of the Kazakh federation as saying, "[Contador] will be our sole leader for years to come [and] will be able to pick out the riders he wants to ride with him. In our mind, the team will be composed of Spanish and Kazakh riders, including Alexander Vinokourov."
On 21 July, with Contador, Armstrong and Klöden holding three of the top four places in the Tour de France, Bruyneel told Belgian channel VRT that Astana as currently constituted was "finished" and that he would be leaving the team, as Vinokourov and the Kazakh federation had discussed, at the end of the season. Despite the comments by Vinokourov and the Kazakhstan federation, Bruyneel and Vinokourov did not reach an agreement regarding Vinokourov's return to Astana for 2009, and the team submitted a preliminary roster to the 2009 Vuelta a España
2009 Vuelta a España
The 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5....
listing him only as a reserve. Finally, on 24 August, Astana announced that an agreement had been reached between Vinokourov and Bruyneel and that Vinokourov would rejoin the team for the start of the Vuelta. The next day, Armstrong announced that Bruyneel would take over Team RadioShack
Team RadioShack
Team RadioShack is a professional road bicycle racing team, with RadioShack as the title sponsor, the creation of which was announced on July 23, 2009. Lance Armstrong co-owns and leads the team, which plans to race in the Grand Tours and the UCI ProTour, as well as running and triathlon events...
in 2010.
2010
The immediate result of Vinokourov's return and Bruyneel's departure was a mass exodus from Astana. Although Bruyneel still had a year to run on his contract, Astana permitted his departure in return for him not blocking Vinokourov's return. Contador also has a year on his contract, and Astana refused to permit his departure. However, much of the rest of the team departed for RadioShack, including Armstrong, Klöden, Leipheimer, Zubeldia, Horner, Brajkovič, Popovych, Paulinho, Vaitkus, Rast, Rubiera and Muravyev (the only Kazakh to depart), which meant that eight of the nine members of the winning Astana team at the 2009 Tour de France2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
moved to RadioShack. Additionally, Schär and Morabito joined . All that remained of Astana was four Spanish riders (Contador, Noval, Navarro and Hernández) and the Kazakhs (except Muravyev). Since then, the team has signed three more Spanish riders, including 2006 Tour champion Óscar Pereiro, to support Contador. Consistent with the July 2009 plan, the 2010 team includes 12 Kazakhstanis and 7 Spaniards among its 26 riders.
2007
- 1st Trofeo Soller, Antonio ColómAntonio ColomAntonio Colom Mas is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer from Bunyola. He is a specialist in short stage races, having won the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in 2006, the Vuelta a Mallorca in 2004 and the Vuelta a Andalucía in 2002....
- 1st Overall Tirreno–Adriatico, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
- 1st Overall Circuit de la SartheCircuit de la Sarthe (cycling)The Circuit de la Sarthe-Pays de la Loire is an early-season short road bicycle racing stage race held annually in Sarthe, Pays de la Loire, France. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
- 1st Stage 3, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
- 1st Stage 3, Andreas Klöden
- 1st Prologue Tour de Romandie2007 Tour de RomandieThe 2007 Tour de Romandie served as the 59th edition of this event now held on the 2007 UCI ProTour. The stage race was held from May 1 through May 6, 2007 in the French speaking area of Switzerland known as Romandy...
, Paolo SavoldelliPaolo SavoldelliPaolo Savoldelli is an Italian former road racing cyclist and winner of the 2002 and 2005 Giro d'Italia.... - 1st Stage 20 Giro d'Italia2007 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2007 Giro d'Italia was the 90th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It took place from 12 May to 3 June 2007. The race began in Sardinia and finished in Milan, and featured five mountain top finishes, of which one was an individual time trial...
, Paolo SavoldelliPaolo SavoldelliPaolo Savoldelli is an Italian former road racing cyclist and winner of the 2002 and 2005 Giro d'Italia.... - 1st Overall Tour de LuxembourgTour de LuxembourgTour de Luxembourg is an annual stage race in professional road bicycle racing held in Luxembourg. The Tour de Luxembourg is classified as a 2.HC, the highest rating below the ProTour, by the Union Cycliste Internationale , the sport's governing body. In 2006, the Tour was part of the UCI Europe...
, Grégory RastGrégory RastGrégory Rast is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He will ride for from 2012.- Palmares :20022004...
- 1st Stage 4, Grégory RastGrégory RastGrégory Rast is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He will ride for from 2012.- Palmares :20022004...
- 1st Stage 4, Grégory Rast
- 1st Stage 3 & 7, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré2007 Critérium du Dauphiné LibéréThe 59th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré took place from June 10 to June 17, 2007. It consists of a Prologue and seven stages, of which one is time trial, covering a total of about 1140 km, starting in Grenoble and finishing in Annecy....
, Alexandre Vinokourov - 1st Stage 5 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré2007 Critérium du Dauphiné LibéréThe 59th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré took place from June 10 to June 17, 2007. It consists of a Prologue and seven stages, of which one is time trial, covering a total of about 1140 km, starting in Grenoble and finishing in Annecy....
, Antonio ColómAntonio ColomAntonio Colom Mas is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer from Bunyola. He is a specialist in short stage races, having won the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in 2006, the Vuelta a Mallorca in 2004 and the Vuelta a Andalucía in 2002.... - 1st Stage 6 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré2007 Critérium du Dauphiné LibéréThe 59th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré took place from June 10 to June 17, 2007. It consists of a Prologue and seven stages, of which one is time trial, covering a total of about 1140 km, starting in Grenoble and finishing in Annecy....
, Maxim IglinskyMaxim IglinskyMaxim Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2007. Iglinsky turned professional in 2005 with Domina Vacanze and rode for in 2006. Iglinsky won stage 6 of the 2007 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré.He is the elder brother of Valentin Iglinsky.-... - 1st Road Race Championship, Maxim IglinskyMaxim IglinskyMaxim Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2007. Iglinsky turned professional in 2005 with Domina Vacanze and rode for in 2006. Iglinsky won stage 6 of the 2007 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré.He is the elder brother of Valentin Iglinsky.-...
- 1st Road Race Championship, Benoît JoachimBenoît JoachimBenoît Joachim is a professional road racing cyclist from Luxembourg.Joachim started his professional career at the age of 18 for a small Italian cycling team, Sonego Sport, After racing with them for three months, he was noticed by a bigger, De Nardi who were interesting him...
- 1st Stage 3 & 7 Herald Sun TourHerald Sun TourThe Herald Sun Tour is an Australian professional bicycle race held in Melbourne and provincial Victoria sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale . The first tour was held in October 1952 as a six day event and it is held annually in October. It is named after the Herald Sun, Melbourne's...
, Aaron KempsAaron KempsAaron Kemps is an Australian racing cyclist.- Palmarès :20012003... - 1st Stage 4 & 6 Herald Sun TourHerald Sun TourThe Herald Sun Tour is an Australian professional bicycle race held in Melbourne and provincial Victoria sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale . The first tour was held in October 1952 as a six day event and it is held annually in October. It is named after the Herald Sun, Melbourne's...
, Steve MorabitoSteve MorabitoSteve Morabito is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .- Palmares :2006**... - 2nd Overall Tour de Romandie2007 Tour de RomandieThe 2007 Tour de Romandie served as the 59th edition of this event now held on the 2007 UCI ProTour. The stage race was held from May 1 through May 6, 2007 in the French speaking area of Switzerland known as Romandy...
, Paolo SavoldelliPaolo SavoldelliPaolo Savoldelli is an Italian former road racing cyclist and winner of the 2002 and 2005 Giro d'Italia.... - 3rd Overall Tour de Romandie2007 Tour de RomandieThe 2007 Tour de Romandie served as the 59th edition of this event now held on the 2007 UCI ProTour. The stage race was held from May 1 through May 6, 2007 in the French speaking area of Switzerland known as Romandy...
, Andrey KashechkinAndrey KashechkinAndrey Kashechkin is a Kazakhstani road racing cyclist, who rides for the UCI ProTour team .Kashechkin was born in Kyzyl-Orda, in the former Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic.... - 3rd Overall Giro d'Italia2007 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2007 Giro d'Italia was the 90th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It took place from 12 May to 3 June 2007. The race began in Sardinia and finished in Milan, and featured five mountain top finishes, of which one was an individual time trial...
, Eddy MazzoleniEddy MazzoleniEddy Mazzoleni is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who most recently rode for UCI ProTour Astana Team.... - 3rd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré2007 Critérium du Dauphiné LibéréThe 59th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré took place from June 10 to June 17, 2007. It consists of a Prologue and seven stages, of which one is time trial, covering a total of about 1140 km, starting in Grenoble and finishing in Annecy....
, Andrey KashechkinAndrey KashechkinAndrey Kashechkin is a Kazakhstani road racing cyclist, who rides for the UCI ProTour team .Kashechkin was born in Kyzyl-Orda, in the former Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic.... - 3rd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico, Alexandre Vinokourov
2008
- 1st Stage 2 Volta ao AlgarveVolta ao AlgarveThe Volta ao Algarve is a road bicycle racing stage race held annually in the Algarve, Portugal. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. Due to its early February position in the European calendar, it is used by many riders to prepare for the Spring...
, Tomas VaitkusTomas VaitkusTomas Vaitkus is a Lithuanian professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team .Vaitkus, nicknamed Tomas the Tank Engine, made his Tour de France debut in the 2007 edition but had to abandon after a serious crash at the end of stage two. announced that he would be joining the team in 2010.... - 1st Overall Tour of California2008 Tour of CaliforniaThe 2008 Tour of California was the third edition of an eight-day, 650-mile stage race, which began in Palo Alto , then raced through the California redwoods, wine country and the Pacific Coast and finished in Pasadena. The road bicycle racing event was held February 17–24...
, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 1st Stage 5, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 1st Stage 5, Levi Leipheimer
- 1st Stage 2 Vuelta a MurciaVuelta a MurciaThe Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The race consists of a men's competition over five stages and is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs....
, José Luis RubieraJosé Luis RubieraJosé Luis Rubiera Vigil is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer. He last rode for the UCI ProTour team .Rubiera won his first professional race at the 1997 Giro d'Italia, winning stage 19... - 1st Ronde van het Groene HartRonde van het Groene HartThe Ronde van het Groene Hart is a road bicycle race held in Groene Hart, Netherlands. The first edition of the race, in 2007, was organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. The 203 km race started in Leiden and finished in Woerden, passing through Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht.-...
, Tomas VaitkusTomas VaitkusTomas Vaitkus is a Lithuanian professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team .Vaitkus, nicknamed Tomas the Tank Engine, made his Tour de France debut in the 2007 edition but had to abandon after a serious crash at the end of stage two. announced that he would be joining the team in 2010.... - 1st Overall Vuelta a Castilla y León, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stages 1 & 4, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stages 1 & 4, Alberto Contador
- 1st Overall Vuelta al País Vasco2008 Vuelta al País VascoThe 2008 Vuelta al País Vasco, the 65th edition of the Vuelta al País Vasco stage cycling race, took place from April 7 to April 12, 2008. It was won by Spanish rider Alberto Contador of .-General classification:...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stages 1 & 6, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stages 1 & 6, Alberto Contador
- 1st Overall Tour de Romandie, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
- 1st Stage 1, Maxim IglinskyMaxim IglinskyMaxim Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2007. Iglinsky turned professional in 2005 with Domina Vacanze and rode for in 2006. Iglinsky won stage 6 of the 2007 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré.He is the elder brother of Valentin Iglinsky.-...
- 1st Stage 3, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
- 1st Stage 1, Maxim Iglinsky
- 1st Overall
Giro d'Italia2008 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the cycling team...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro... - 1st Prologue Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 1st Road Race Championships, Assan BazayevAssan BazayevAssan Bazayev is a professional road bicycle racer from Kazakhstan. Since 2007, he rides for on the UCI ProTour.In 2004 he won the Hellas Tour, but he did not win any stage.He also won stage 1 of the 2006 Tour of Germany in August 2006.- Palmares :...
- 1st Time Trial Championships, Andrey Mizourov
- 1st Road Race Championships, Serguei Ivanov
- 1st Time Trial Championships, Vladimir Gusev
- 1st Road Race Championships, Tomas VaitkusTomas VaitkusTomas Vaitkus is a Lithuanian professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team .Vaitkus, nicknamed Tomas the Tank Engine, made his Tour de France debut in the 2007 edition but had to abandon after a serious crash at the end of stage two. announced that he would be joining the team in 2010....
- 1st Time Trial Championships, Sérgio PaulinhoSérgio PaulinhoSérgio Miguel Moreira Paulinho is a Portuguese road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He was a domestique in the 2007, 2009 and 2010 Tour de France....
- 1st Stage 5 Österreich-Rundfahrt, René HaselbacherRené HaselbacherRené Haselbacher is an Austrian retired professional road bicycle racer. He rode for major teams and , and took national titles in both road racing and the time trial...
- 1st Overall Tour de WallonieTour de WallonieThe Tour de Wallonie is a stage race cycling race on the UCI Europe Tour. It runs in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium in the end of July. Between 1974 and 1995 it was reserved to amateurs. Since 2005, the race has been organized as a 2.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour- Winners...
, Serguei Ivanov - 1st Clásica a los Puertos de GuadarramaClásica a los Puertos de GuadarramaClásica a los Puertos de Guadarrama is a professional cycle road race held in the Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain in late August each year. The event was first run in 1978 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour-Winners:...
, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a... - 1st Overall
Vuelta a España2008 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2008 Vuelta a España was the 63rd edition of the Vuelta a España, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The event took place from 30 August to 21 September 2008 over 21 stages covering . The first stage was a team time trial in Granada. The event finished in Madrid 23 days later...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stages 5 & 20, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 1st Stages 13 & 14, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stages 5 & 20, Levi Leipheimer
- 2nd Overall Tour de Suisse, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
- 2nd Overall Vuelta a España2008 Vuelta a EspañaThe 2008 Vuelta a España was the 63rd edition of the Vuelta a España, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The event took place from 30 August to 21 September 2008 over 21 stages covering . The first stage was a team time trial in Granada. The event finished in Madrid 23 days later...
, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a... - 2nd Giro di Lombardia2008 Giro di LombardiaThe 2008 Giro di Lombardia is the 102nd edition of this single day road bicycle racing monument race. The event took place on October 18, 2008, with Damiano Cunego winning it, his fourth victory of the year, and the third of his career in the Giro di Lombardia and his second consecutive victory...
, Janez BrajkovicJanez BrajkovicJanez Brajkovič is a racing cyclist from Slovenia. He was the world under-23 Time Trial champion in Verona and rides for on the UCI ProTour.-Career:... - 3rd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 3rd Olympic Games, Time Trial, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 3rd Overall Deutschland Tour2008 Deutschland TourThe 2008 Deutschland Tour road cycling race took place from August 29 to September 6, 2008 in Germany and Austria. It was won by Team Columbia's Linus Gerdemann of Germany...
, Janez BrajkovicJanez BrajkovicJanez Brajkovič is a racing cyclist from Slovenia. He was the world under-23 Time Trial champion in Verona and rides for on the UCI ProTour.-Career:...
2009
- 1st Overall Tour of California2009 Tour of CaliforniaThe 2009 Amgen Tour of California was the 4th running of an annual cycling race contained within the state of California. The event was staged February 14–22 and began with a prologue in the state capital of Sacramento. The event was held as part of the schedule of both the UCI America Tour and USA...
, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 1st Stage 6, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 1st Stage 6, Levi Leipheimer
- 1st Overall Volta ao AlgarveVolta ao AlgarveThe Volta ao Algarve is a road bicycle racing stage race held annually in the Algarve, Portugal. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. Due to its early February position in the European calendar, it is used by many riders to prepare for the Spring...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 4, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 4, Alberto Contador
- 1st Stages 1 & 6 Paris–Nice, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 5 Tirreno–Adriatico, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
- 1st Overall Vuelta a Castilla y LeónVuelta a Castilla y LeónThe Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León is a professional road bicycle stage race held in Castile and León, Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Castilla y León has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Past winners:-External links:*...
, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 1st Stage 2, Levi LeipheimerLevi LeipheimerLevi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
- 1st Stage 2, Levi Leipheimer
- 1st Overall Vuelta al País Vasco2009 Vuelta al País VascoThe 2009 Vuelta al País Vasco, the 66th edition of the Vuelta al País Vasco stage cycling race, started on 6 April and ended on 11 April. It was won by Alberto Contador, making this his second Vuelta al País Vasco victory in a row...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stages 3 & 6, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stages 3 & 6, Alberto Contador
- 1st Stage 1 Giro del TrentinoGiro del TrentinoThe Giro del Trentino is an Italian cycle road race. It is run typically mid-to-late April over four stages in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy....
, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France... - 1st Prologue Tour du Luxembourg, Grégory RastGrégory RastGrégory Rast is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . He will ride for from 2012.- Palmares :20022004...
- 1st Time Trial Championships, Janez BrajkovičJanez BrajkovicJanez Brajkovič is a racing cyclist from Slovenia. He was the world under-23 Time Trial champion in Verona and rides for on the UCI ProTour.-Career:...
- 1st Time Trial Championships, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Overall
Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 4, Team Time Trial
- 1st Stages 15 & 18, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Chrono des NationsChrono des NationsChrono des Nations - Les Herbiers Vendée is a single-day time-trial bicycle race held annually in October in Vendée, France. Since 2005, the race is organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour....
, Alexandre Vinokourov - 1st Team Classification,
Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The... - 1st Team classification, Giro D'Italia2009 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race...
- 3rd Overall Tirreno–Adriatico, Andreas KlödenAndreas KlödenAndreas Klöden is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major achievements include a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and second place in the 2004 Tour de France and 2006 Tour de France...
- 3rd Overall Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, Lance ArmstrongLance ArmstrongLance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support... - 3rd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré2009 Critérium du Dauphiné LibéréThe 2009 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré was the 61st edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré stage race. It took place from 7 June to 14 June, and was part of both the 2009 UCI ProTour and the inaugural World Calendar. It began in Nancy, France with an individual time trial, and ended in Grenoble...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
2010
- 1st Overall Volta ao AlgarveVolta ao AlgarveThe Volta ao Algarve is a road bicycle racing stage race held annually in the Algarve, Portugal. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. Due to its early February position in the European calendar, it is used by many riders to prepare for the Spring...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 3, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 3, Alberto Contador
- 1st Montepaschi Strade Bianche, Maxim IglinskyMaxim IglinskyMaxim Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2007. Iglinsky turned professional in 2005 with Domina Vacanze and rode for in 2006. Iglinsky won stage 6 of the 2007 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré.He is the elder brother of Valentin Iglinsky.-...
- 1st Overall Paris–Nice, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 4, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 4, Alberto Contador
- 1st Stage 5 Tirreno-Adriatico, Enrico GasparottoEnrico GasparottoEnrico Gasparotto is an Italian professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team , which he joined in 2009...
- 1st Overall Vuelta a Castilla y LeónVuelta a Castilla y LeónThe Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León is a professional road bicycle stage race held in Castile and León, Spain. Since 2005, Vuelta a Castilla y León has been a part of the UCI Europe Tour.-Past winners:-External links:*...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 4, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 4, Alberto Contador
- 1st Overall Giro del TrentinoGiro del TrentinoThe Giro del Trentino is an Italian cycle road race. It is run typically mid-to-late April over four stages in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy....
, Alexandre Vinokourov- 1st Stage 1, Alexandre Vinokourov
- 1st Liège–Bastogne–Liège2010 Liège–Bastogne–LiègeThe 2010 Liège–Bastogne–Liège monument classic cycling race took place on April 25, 2010. The race was won by Alexander Vinokourov after slipping into a breakaway with Alexandr Kolobnev...
, Alexandre Vinokourov - 1st Prologue & Stage 6 Critérium du Dauphiné2010 Critérium du DauphinéThe 2010 Critérium du Dauphiné was the 62nd edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné stage race, and the first since it was renamed. It took place from 6–13 June, and was part of both the 2010 UCI ProTour and World Calendar...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro... - 1st Stage 5 Critérium du Dauphiné2010 Critérium du DauphinéThe 2010 Critérium du Dauphiné was the 62nd edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné stage race, and the first since it was renamed. It took place from 6–13 June, and was part of both the 2010 UCI ProTour and World Calendar...
, Daniel NavarroDaniel NavarroDaniel Navarro García is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .- Palmares :20072009- External links :... - 1st Road Race Championships, Gorazd StangeljGorazd ŠtangeljGorazd Štangelj is a Slovenian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team .- Palmares :1998...
- 1st Road Race Championships, Maxim GourovMaxim GourovMaxim Gourov is a Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer. He rides for the team.- Palmares :* Giro d'Italia - 118th Time Trial Championships - * Vuelta a la Argentina - 1 stage - External links :*...
- 1st Overall Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 1st Stage 13, Alexandre Vinokourov
- 1st Overall Tour of HainanTour of HainanThe Tour of Hainan is a UCI stage bicycle race held on the island Hainan in China. The first race was held in 2006. The race consists of nine stages and it's part of the UCI Asia Tour. Since 2007 the Tour of Hainan is a UCI 2.1 race....
, Valentin IglinskyValentin IglinskyValentin Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2009.He is the younger brother of Maxim Iglinsky.- Palmares:2004...
- 1st Stage 2, Valentin IglinskyValentin IglinskyValentin Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2009.He is the younger brother of Maxim Iglinsky.- Palmares:2004...
- 1st Stage 2, Valentin Iglinsky
- 2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné2010 Critérium du DauphinéThe 2010 Critérium du Dauphiné was the 62nd edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné stage race, and the first since it was renamed. It took place from 6–13 June, and was part of both the 2010 UCI ProTour and World Calendar...
, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro... - 2nd Clasica San Sebastian, Alexandre Vinokourov
- 3rd Amstel Gold RaceAmstel Gold RaceThe Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...
, Enrico GasparottoEnrico GasparottoEnrico Gasparotto is an Italian professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team , which he joined in 2009... - 3rd Flèche Wallonne, Alberto ContadorAlberto ContadorAlberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
- 3rd UCI Road Race World Championships2010 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road raceThe Men's Individual Road Race of the 2010 UCI Road World Championships cycling event took place on 3 October in Melbourne and concluded in Geelong, Australia. Thor Hushovd claimed the World Championship in a sprint finish, to become the first Norwegian to win the World Championship road...
, Allan DavisAllan DavisAllan Howard Davis is an Australian professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team . Born in Ipswich, Queensland, Davis resides in Bundaberg, Queensland and in Spain. Known for his sprinting ability, he started competitive cycling at the age of 10, and turned professional in 2002...
2011
- 1st Stage 7 Paris-Nice, Remy Di GregorioRémy Di GregorioRémy Di Gregorio is a French professional road bicycle racer. He currently rides for , but will move to for the 2012 season....
- 1st Stage 3 Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Alexandre Vinokourov
- 1st Stage 4 Giro del TrentinoGiro del TrentinoThe Giro del Trentino is an Italian cycle road race. It is run typically mid-to-late April over four stages in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy....
, Roman KreuzigerRoman KreuzigerRoman Kreuziger is a Czech professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Kreuziger is an all-rounder, with climbing and time trial abilities, becoming a contender for the General Classification of stage races... - 1st Stage 2 Presidential Tour of Turkey, Valentin IglinskyValentin IglinskyValentin Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2009.He is the younger brother of Maxim Iglinsky.- Palmares:2004...
- 1st Stage 3 Tour de RomandieTour de RomandieThe Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs in the Romandie region, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling....
, Alexandre Vinokourov - 1st Stage 19 Giro d'Italia2011 Giro d'ItaliaThe 2011 Giro d'Italia was the 94th edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started on 7 May with a team time trial in Turin to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italian unification, when the city served as the first capital of the single state.The route was...
, Paolo TiralongoPaolo TiralongoPaolo Tiralongo is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team .He joined Astana for the 2010 season, on a 2 year contract.- Palmares :1999* 1st, Triptique Ardennais Overall2001... - 1st
Young rider classification in the Giro d'ItaliaYoung rider classification in the Giro d'ItaliaSince 1976, The Giro d'Italia has had a young rider classification. The leader in this classification wears the maglia bianca . The classification is determined by the best overall time, but only young cyclists were in the competition....
, Roman KreuzigerRoman KreuzigerRoman Kreuziger is a Czech professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Kreuziger is an all-rounder, with climbing and time trial abilities, becoming a contender for the General Classification of stage races... - 1st Road Race Championships, Andrey Mizourov
- 1st Overall Österreich-Rundfahrt, Fredrik KessiakoffFredrik KessiakoffFredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff is a Swedish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Kessiakoff turned to road racing in 2009, having had a successful career as a professional mountain biker for many years, winning the Swedish national championship 4 times, and finishing third at...
- 1st Stage 2, Fredrik KessiakoffFredrik KessiakoffFredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff is a Swedish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Kessiakoff turned to road racing in 2009, having had a successful career as a professional mountain biker for many years, winning the Swedish national championship 4 times, and finishing third at...
- 1st Stage 2, Fredrik Kessiakoff
- 1st Overall Tour of HainanTour of HainanThe Tour of Hainan is a UCI stage bicycle race held on the island Hainan in China. The first race was held in 2006. The race consists of nine stages and it's part of the UCI Asia Tour. Since 2007 the Tour of Hainan is a UCI 2.1 race....
, Valentin IglinskyValentin IglinskyValentin Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2009.He is the younger brother of Maxim Iglinsky.- Palmares:2004...
- 1st Stage 8, Valentin IglinskyValentin IglinskyValentin Iglinsky is a Kazakh road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTour team , who he joined in 2009.He is the younger brother of Maxim Iglinsky.- Palmares:2004...
- 1st Stage 8, Valentin Iglinsky
- 3rd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné2011 Critérium du DauphinéThe 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné, was the 63rd running of the Critérium du Dauphiné cycling stage race. It started on 5 June in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and ended on 12 June in La Toussuire and consisted of eight stages, including a race-commencing prologue stage and an individual time trial, held as...
, Alexandre Vinokourov - 3rd Overall Tour de RomandieTour de RomandieThe Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs in the Romandie region, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling....
, Alexandre Vinokourov