The capital of Kazakhstan sponsors elite cycling projects since mid-season 2006, when they took over from Liberty Seguros before the Tour de France. Its debut in the Spanish Tour could not have been more successful, as Alexander Vinokourov took home his first and only general classification win in a three-week race. His countryman, Andrey Kashechkin, finished in third place. Later on, Alberto Contador (2008) would take the podium with his first Vuelta general classification, wearing Astana’s sky-blue jersey. The Spanish rider assured his first place with his stage wins at Angliru and Fuentes de Invierno. As a side note, his teammate Levi Leipheimer would later accompany him on the Madrid podium having obtained second place. The Italian rider Vincenzo Nibali, who is one of the few riders with overall victories at the three Grand Tours would make it back on the Vuelta podium in 2013. Fabio Aru would give Kazakhstanis their fourth most exciting Spanish Tour following the thrilling developments of the 2015 Vuelta, including the now-historic stage through the Madrid mountain passes as a race judge. This same year, Mikel Landa was also triumphant during the spectacular Andorra stage. In the last two editions, most of the team’s joy has come through Miguel Ángel López. Between 2017 and 2018, the Columbian rider has obtained two stage victories, a third place in the general classification and an award for Best Young Rider in La Vuelta. His start to the 2019 season has been meteoric, with general triumphs in the Volta a Catalunya, Itzulia, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and in the Criterium du Dauphiné, and partial triumphs including three stage victories in the Giro d’Italia.
Overall victories: 3
2006 : Alexandre Vinokourov.
2008 : Alberto Contador.
2015 : Fabio Aru.
Stage victories: 17
2006 : Alexandre Vinokourov, in Lugo, at the Alto de La Cobertoria and in Rivas-Vaciamadrid (I.T.T.)
2006 : Sergio Paulinho, in the Museo de Altamira. Santillana del Mar.
2006 : Andrey Kashechkin, in Sierra de and in Puerto de Navacerrada.
2008 : Alberto Contador, in the Alto del Angliru and in Fuentes de Invierno. Estación de Esquí.
2012 : Fredrik Kessiakoff, in Pontevedra (I.T.T.)
2013 : Astana Pro Team, in San Xenxo (T.T.T.)
2014 : Fabio Aru, in the Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar and in Monte Castrove. Meis.
2015 : Mikel Landa, in Cortals d’Encamp.
2017 : Miguel Ángel López (Observatorio de Calar Alto and Sierra Nevada).
2017: Alexey Lutsenko, (Alcossebre)
Leader jerseys: 37
2006 : Alexandre Vinokourov, 5 days.
2008 : Levi Leipheimer, 2 days.
2008 : Alberto Contador, 9 days
2013 : Janez Brajkovic, 1 day.
2013: Vincenzo Nibali, 13 days.
2015 : Fabio Aru, 7 days.
Victories in secondary classifications: 3
2008 : Alberto Contador (combined classification).
2017 : Miguel Ángel López (best young rider).
2017 : Team classification.
5 : The Spanish cyclists that form part of the Kazakh team. Interestingly, none of them have ever won a La Vuelta stage, though they have obtained three second places.
September 16th, 2006 : On the day of his 33rd birthday Alexandre Vinokourov won the I.T.T in Rivas-Vaciamadrid and sentenced his final victory in La Vuelta.
August 13th, 2008 : Alberto Contador takes the red jersey in L’Angliru. He’ll keep it until the end of the race.
September 12th, 2015 : In the second ascent of the day to La Morcuera, Tom Dumoulin lost the leadership and the podium after a strategic attack of Fabio Aru supported by his team.
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