Team Astana

[Vino attacks everyone]

Rider Date of birth
Alexandr Vinokourov (KAZ) 16 September 1973 (age 38)
Assan Bazayev (KAZ) 22 February 1981 (age 31)
Borut Božič (SLO) 8 August 1980 (age 31)
Janez Brajkovič (SLO) 18 December 1983 (age 28)
Alexsandr Dyachenko (KAZ) 17 October 1983 (age 28)
Dmitry Fofonov (KAZ) 15 August 1976 (age 35)
Enrico Gasparotto (ITA) 22 March 1982 (age 30)
Francesco Gavazzi (ITA) 1 August 1984 (age 27)
Dmitriy Gruzdev (KAZ) 13 March 1986 (age 26)
Jacopo Guarnieri (ITA) 14 August 1987 (age 24)
Andriy Hryvko (UKR) 7 August 1983 (age 28)
Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ) 18 April 1981 (age 30)
Valentin Iglinskiy (KAZ) 12 May 1984 (age 27)
Tanel Kangert (EST) 11 March 1987 (age 25)
Andrey Kashechkin (KAZ) 21 March 1980 (age 32)
Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE) 17 May 1980 (age 31)
Robert Kišerlovski (CRO) 9 August 1986 (age 25)
Roman Kreuziger (CZE) 6 May 1986 (age 25)
Francesco Masciarelli (ITA) 5 May 1986 (age 25)
Dimitry Muravyev (KAZ) 2 November 1979 (age 32)
Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (KAZ) 12 March 1987 (age 25)
Evgeni Petrov (RUS) 25 May 1978 (age 33)
Simone Ponzi (ITA) 17 January 1987 (age 25)
Sergey Renev (KAZ) 3 January 1985 (age 27)
Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL) 12 September 1986 (age 25)
Egor Silin (RUS) 25 June 1988 (age 23)
Paolo Tiralongo (ITA) 8 July 1977 (age 34)
Andrey Zeits (KAZ) 14 December 1986 (age 25)


Team Astana started of in 2007 as the team that should bring Aleksandr Vinokourov (Vino) to victory in the biggest cycling race in the world. With help from super domestiques like Andreas Kloden and Andrey Kasheckin, this should not be much of a problem. Atleast we thought so, not in his very best shape, a bad fall, a danish chicken, a spanish pistolero, and one blood bag later, Vinokourov was sent home to Kazakhstan in shame, and the team pulled itself out of the tour.

This was not the end of Astana thought. Discovery Channel pulled it sponsorship, and Johan "the hog" Bruyneel with his spanish superstar Alberto Contador joined the team. Even thought they did not get an invitation to the Tour de France in 2008, Contador pulled of to win the Giro/Vuelta double and by that succseded to win all 3 grand tours in just 14 months.

2009 was a very challenging year for the Astana team. economic difficulties and the sudden comeback of LA split the team up in pieces. Although LA really reall really wanted his 8th tour, and succeeded to turn most of the team against Alberto, he once again showed the world who was the strongest gt rider of his decade. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibVr481vCIk

As if the tension between Alberto and Lance was not enough, the announcement of the comeback of the "awesome one" Aleksandr Vinokourov led to the departure of Bruynell, LA and most of the 09 super team.

Team Astana went into the season of 2010 with a new management, and a new superstar, by many called cyclings answer to Eddy Merckx, Aleksandr Vinokourov.
Even with the force the returning son brought with him, many doubted Astanas strenght and dept for this season. Many even said this is not the most awesome team in the sport of cycling you *******s!
Fortunately they were proven wrong. Alberto won his third tour, Vino won the LBL by pure awesome power and team Astana was without any doubt the most awesome team in the world.

Unfortunately Alberto Contador was after his third tour victory struck by Megalomanía, thinking that he could pull of yet another victory in the tour WITHOUT Vino by his side. I was unfortunately in coma May 2011, so i do only know that he failed miserably in the tour....

Anyway, Since Contador left, Astana had to get reinforcements. They signed Kreuziger, Kiserlovski, that swedish guy amongst others. But as we could see through the season, noone of them could quite perform as well as that spanish guy that had left them after last season. Vino that was planning to retire after the season desided after his invention, the gravity had betrayed him, to take yet another season.


So now we are here in April 2012, and i am wondering, who shall lead Astana to glory this year? or next year?
What is the destiny of team Astana?
Let us debate in a friendly manner, and do not forget Vino is awesome.

 

[Gloin22]

My question is : What the **** happened to Brajokivc ??

After they said they found he had illness last year and cured it, I thought he would be a lot improved. He's so far even worse...

 

[Swede1]

Kreuziger to do very well in the Giro, and take a stage and maybe get on the podium. Also he can do well in liege. Vino to take a stage of the Tour and attack a lot. Brajkovic will be the leader at the tour and will be in Dauphine 2010 form and be a beast. He will be top 10 and only not in the top 5 because of crashing on a flat stage.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

My question is : What the **** happened to Brajokivc ??

After they said they found he had illness last year and cured it, I thought he would be a lot improved. He's so far even worse...

it's called O-V-E-R-R-A-T-E-D

 

[Forunculo]

My question is : What the **** happened to Brajokivc ??

After they said they found he had illness last year and cured it, I thought he would be a lot improved. He's so far even worse...

Maybe was an excuse

I like the guy but when Bruyneel let him went to other team, perhaps he can't reach the supposed potential he had 5-6 years ago

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

it's called O-V-E-R-R-A-T-E-D

I agree with you

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

the only problem with astana is that they often have it wrong with rider.s kreuziger is another massively overrated rider. they also want nibali, who is also overrated. kiserlovski is a great buy. but they lack some topriders other than vino

 

[Gloin22]

the only problem with astana is that they often have it wrong with rider.s kreuziger is another massively overrated rider. they also want nibali, who is also overrated. kiserlovski is a great buy. but they lack some topriders other than vino

Really ? So who isn't overrated then ? I bet many Colombians

Kreuziger and Nibali did great at Tirreno. While I think Kreuziger is bit too much hyped, I don't understand why Nibali. He was immense at Tirreno and will do great at Giro too if he rides. 3rd at MSR for a climber. That's one hell awesome result.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

the only problem with astana is that they often have it wrong with rider.s kreuziger is another massively overrated rider. they also want nibali, who is also overrated. kiserlovski is a great buy. but they lack some topriders other than vino

I would not say Nibali is to overrated, and it looks like he develop every year, but yea, Kreuziger is waaay overrated. Kiserlovski is awesome

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The team looks to me a lot like Movistar last year (before all the terrible things that went wrong); a very strong support squad in search of a leader. No super-fast sprinters, but a couple of guys who can get good placements in trickier stages (Bozic, Gavazzi), some guys who can get decent placements in the classics (Iglinsky, Gasparotto), plus some second-tier contenders for stage races who can win smaller ones but will probably fall in the 5-15 area in GTs (Kreuziger, Kiserlovski, Brajkovic, Kessiakoff), with some strong helpers (Zeits, Tiralongo, Petrov). I am a big fan of Maxim Iglinsky - he is their best classics rider, getting good placings at de Ronde, San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem in his past, but was also Contador's last mountain helper in the '08 Giro, lasting the pace longer than Klöden or Leipheimer. Plus, Bruyneel said in his disputes with the Kazakh team owners over the Tour selections that they wanted Iglinsky in, and he didn't want to pick him because he felt he couldn't trust him.

There are some interesting prospects on the Continental team that could keep them alive for a while, though some like Shushemoin and Tleubayev aren't really all that young anymore (24-25)... Arman Kamyshev looks like a good one for the future though, while the team's only non-Kazakh, the Belarusian Kanstanstin Klimiankou, also could turn out to be pretty useful.

 

[airstream]

Nonetheless, Kreuziger hasn't had the seasons that would be a step back so far, in terms of his GT perfomances at least. Yes, he lost his touch in TT partially, but the basis level is still very high. Hehe, how many guys out of the superelite are rated objectively then, if Nibali and Kreuziger are overrated?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nonetheless, Kreuziger hasn't had the seasons that would be a step back so far, in terms of his GT perfomances at least. Yes, he lost his touch in TT partially, but the basis level is still very high. Hehe, how many guys out of the superelite are rated objectively then, if Nibali and Kreuziger are overrated?

I would say Kreuzigers pure talent is overrated, he has not worsened, but he hasn't exactly become better either over the last 3 years

 

[roundabout]

Vino better not fall out of favor with the Kazakhstan ruler or it's curtains for the vanity project.

They better fix Kascheckin or find some new talent fast or Vinokourov will have to do a Horner. Otherwise I don't see a reason why Kazakh companies would sponsor a team with local riders being helpers.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Vino better not fall out of favor with the Kazakhstan ruler or it's curtains for the vanity project.

They better fix Kascheckin or find some new talent fast or Vinokourov will have to do a Horner. Otherwise I don't see a reason why Kazakh companies would sponsor a team with local riders being helpers.

An overweight Kazakh with a waaay to high salary, and with a bad relationship with Vino?

 

[jens_attacks]

An overweight Kazakh with a waaay to high salary, and with a bad relationship with Vino?

my last hope about kash will be le tour de france 2012.man, he looked so drained out of energies in the first races you could swear his name is andy schleck.just like a blind fanboy who won't accept the facts,i think kash will rise up in the month of july like an angel.if not,it's over.let him party in monte carlo and that's it.

vino-he will find the form in turkey,i'm absolutely sure.he's a god,in may he will take two stages in il giro and in july,he will attack a little bit.

brajkovic-i have no idea what can he do.probably nothing big again...

kiserlovski is the future though,great rider.

 

[markene2]

I like Maxim Iglinsky very much, he is no Vino, but he is quite good on all terrains. I also like Andrey Zeits. He can develop into beeing a good climber. As jens_attacks say's about Kash, he could do a top 10 in the tour. Simply because it's what motivates him, it's his objective.

Kiserlovski is a rising star that will only get better and better. I had high hopes for Brajkovic after the 06 Vuelta, but in my opinion even with a great team around him, he will not do a great tour. I dont think he can be at his best for 3 weeks.

Also have high hopes for Silin, he have been promising in the U23 races before. And he will devlop to be a good rider. I also have hopes for Nepomnyachshiy after the U23 in Mendrisio.

And last, Vino. He can snatch a stage in either the Tour or Giro. He just keeps getting better and better after the injury, hope he will do good in Turkey.

But. Astana is a interesting team that i will follow for many years to come.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

my last hope about kash will be le tour de france 2012.man, he looked so drained out of energies in the first races you could swear his name is andy schleck.just like a blind fanboy who won't accept the facts,i think kash will rise up in the month of july like an angel.if not,it's over.let him party in monte carlo and that's it.

vino-he will find the form in turkey,i'm absolutely sure.he's a god,in may he will take two stages in il giro and in july,he will attack a little bit.

brajkovic-i have no idea what can he do.probably nothing big again...

kiserlovski is the future though,great rider.

In July we will see Vino in yellow, I don not accept enything else. That man can NOT end his career without wearing yellow for atleast 1 day.

 

[airstream]

Zeits and Dyachenko are considered the most talented. I have a bit of faith in Zeits. He could become like the second Iglinskiy at least. I don't think the authorities will stop sponsoring it in the near future. Kazakhstan need some sport representation on the world stage. They've got only a little slice of hockey and CYCLING. In this respect, their enthusiasm is inexhaustible no matter who rides for them.

 

[taiwan]

Weren't people talking about Nibali to Astana like it were a done deal? There's the big leader.

Liquigas can just become the Sagan show

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Zeits and Dyachenko are considered the most talented. I have a bit of faith in Zeits. He could become like the second Iglinskiy at least. I don't think the authorities will stop sponsoring it in the near future. Kazakhstan need some sport representation on the world stage. They've got only a little slice of hockey and CYCLING. In this respect, their enthusiasm is inexhaustible no matter who rides for them.

(OK, so that was an unexpected result, and one that is regarded as pretty suspicious, but nonetheless)

 

[FF'Wilco]

With all the money they have i would expect much more. They are similar to Katusha for me (till this year coz they improved a lot) looking as a team with no real idea for building up, improving tactics and developing riders.

 

[jsem94]

Alexei Poltaranin is not a bad XC skiier btw.

Here's hoping for a great season for Kessiakoff too.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Now what do people think about the captain roles in the Giro?
I am ofc hoping to see Kiserlovski dance up the mountains togheter with Vino putting minutes into Kreuziger, but that is just me

 

[BillytheKid]

Now what do people think about the captain roles in the Giro?
I am ofc hoping to see Kiserlovski dance up the mountains togheter with Vino putting minutes into Kreuziger, but that is just me

Kiserlovski made Pais Vaso an epic day that's for sure. I am sure there's more to come.

 

[Fetisoff]

Now what do people think about the captain roles in the Giro?
I am ofc hoping to see Kiserlovski dance up the mountains togheter with Vino putting minutes into Kreuziger, but that is just me

I thought Vino's not riding the Giro, did I miss something?