ASTANA TO RETURN TO RACING
The Astana cycling team will resume racing at the GP Ouest France ? Plouay, according to a press release sent out by the team.
?On Sunday September 2, a team will be at the start of the Grand Prix of Plouay (FRA), a UCI ProTour race,? It read. ?It is still too early to give the list of riders, it is obvious that all in the team are thirsty for kilometres and efforts after one month of suspension of any competition.?
However, the team?s manager Marc Biver, is meeting with UCI ProTour officials this Thursday (August 23), and some believe he will be stripped of the licence.
The Kazakh backed squad suspended all activity on July 31 in order to ?think about it?s future.? The self-imposed move came after the team sacked their talismanic leader Alexandre Vinokourov following his positive test for blood doping during the Tour de France.
Vinokourov?s positive test followed Matthias Kessler?s positive test for testosterone, and Eddy Mazzoleni?s retirement in the face of the Oil for Drugs investigation, in which he was involved.
The team started to fall apart following Vinokourov?s sacking when their bike supplier, BMC, pulled their sponsorship. Soon after, Craft, their clothing manufacturer cut their ties with the team.
Then, on August eighth, it was announced that Andrey Kashechkin had also tested positive for a blood transfusion. Following Astana?s exclusion from the Tour de France in the race?s final week, the UCI had tracked Kashechkin down to Belek in Turkey, and carried out a surprise out of competition test, two days after the Tour had finished.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Despite contradictory rumours of money not arriving from Kasakhstan and that Vinokourov himself wanted to take over the team?s ProTour licence, the team is saying it will continue, and is putting in place a new anti-doping programme.
The press release continued: ?In Parallel, the Astana Cycling Team?s management continues its concrete steps with the Swiss Olympic [the team is registered in Switzerland] in order to quickly set up a system of independent and external anti-doping controls for the team. Ensuring them to move in a clean and irreproachable sport discipline.?
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. He fell in love with cycling 1989 when watching the Tour de France on Channel 4, started racing in 1995 and in 2000 he spent one season racing in Belgium. During his time at CW (and Cycle Sport magazine) he has written product reviews, fitness features, pro interviews, race coverage and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. He became the 130-year-old magazine's 13th editor in 2015.