Cycling: For many years, Team Astana has been one of the most successful in road cycling. In 2021, the Kazakh team will have to process some changes. In our team presentation, we look back on the past year and look ahead.
Astana 2020: Over 40 podium finishes again
The Kazakh cycling team Astana has existed since 2007. After a bumpy start, they were able to establish themselves on the WorldTour and have been one of the strongest teams on the scene for several years. The 2020 season was also successful, even if not all goals could be achieved. Once more was Jakob Fuglsang the decisive man. With his victories in the Ruta del Sol and the Tour of Lombardy, he silenced his critics. It was only at the major national tours that things did not go according to plan for him. Also Miguel Angel Lopez could not fully meet the expectations placed in him in this respect. After all, two stage wins in the Tour de France jumped through alexey lutsenko and Miguel Angel Lopez, as well as a day win at the Vuelta a Espana Jon Izagirre out of here. In total, Astana celebrated no fewer than 2020 wins of the season in 15. Another 26x a professional in the Astana jersey landed in second or third place.
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We finished the 2020 season with three amazing Grand Tour stage wins, two @LeTour and one @lavuelta.
A great way to wrap up the season. #SeasonReview #Gallery
@GettySport pic.twitter.com/KXfWUZnUqb— Astana Pro Team (@AstanaTeam) December 21, 2020
Transfers: The overall standings take a back seat
With Jakob Fuglsang and Miguel Angel Lopez, Team Astana has always been a candidate for good placings in the overall rating of tours in recent years. This will now change. While Jacob Fuglsang wants to focus more on one-day races, Miguel Angel Lopez leave the team. Next to Laurens de Vreese the Colombian is the only really well-known departure. Astana 2021 fans can look forward to 8 new drivers. Especially time trial talent Andrea Piccolo will be a gain in the long run. With a good classification driver, however, you couldn't upgrade.
Astana – Premier Tech 2021: breakthrough of Vlasov
That Alexander Vlasov has a lot of talent, the cycling world noticed a few years ago. Now, however, everything happened rather quickly. In 2020 he drove a great WorldTour season for Astana right away, despite the difficult conditions during the corona pandemic. He managed to win a stage at the Tour de La Provence and ultimately finished the tour in second place. At the Mont Ventoux Dénivelé Challenge, he impressively demonstrated his climbing skills and left Richie Porte, Guillaume Martin and Pierre Latour behind, among others. He also won the Giro dell'Emilia and finished a stage at the Vuelta a Espana in second place. In the overall standings he was eleventh. In 2021, another step forward can be expected in the Astana – Premier Tech team. Then Aleksandr Vlasov could be one of the best climbers and tour riders in the peloton. The continued good development of the Russian is extremely important for the success of the team.
The old hands – above all Jakob Fuglsang – have to call up the usual performances anyway so that there can be talk of a good season again. The Dane wants to focus primarily on one-day races and will in future put his goals at large national tours at the back. alexey lutsenko has certainly not yet reached the end of its development. The Kazakh is not only dangerous from breakaway groups. Speaking of breakaway groups: Astana – Premier Tech 2021 will again give us a lot of pleasure in this category. We'll be seeing the cyan jerseys in breakaways a lot in the coming season as well. This team has always ensured an eventful race. And Astana has often been rewarded for this with victories in the past.
Click HERE for the full squad of Astana – Premier Tech.
From our family to yours...
Merry Christmas! | Веселых праздников! | Buon Natale! | Feliz Navidad! | Joyeux Noël! | Glædelig Jul | Vrolijk Kerstfeest | መሪይ ክሪስማስ | #AstanaProTeam pic.twitter.com/4YdM6HSDsk
— Astana Pro Team (@AstanaTeam) December 23, 2020
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