Astana Pro Team has announced the extension of the contracts with three Kazakhstan riders. Arman Kamyshev and Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev re-signed the contract for one more year and Andrey Zeits will continue to compete for Astana team for two more seasons.

24-year-old Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev has been a member of the team since 2015. During his career, he has won a jersey of the best climber ath the Belgian Trriptyque des Monts et Chаteaux in 2013 and Tour of Azerbaijan in 2012. he also got on the podium in the overall standing of the Tour of Azerbaijan and Tour of Bohemia. Being a part of the Astana team, he has two wins – the TTT at Giro del Trentino (2016) and TTT at Vuelta a Burgos (2015). In 2016, healso competed in his first grand tour, the Giro d'Italia, where he assisted his captain Vincenzo Nibali in his victorious ride.

“Bakhtiyar has showed that he has, as the word is, an engine. He is able to participate in grand tours and assist well in mountains. We believe in him. We prolong his contract for one year, he has a good progress. Therefore, more complicated tasks than this year will be set for him next season,” commented the team’s General Manager Alexandr Vinokurov.

29-old “veteran” of the team Andrey Zeits has been a member of the team since 2009. During the eight years, he has done thirteen grand tours assisting his captains to fight for the highest places in the general classification. Last year Zeits got for his personal professional win by finishing first in the queen stage of the Tour of Hainan. He also finished on the podium in the overall standing of the Tour of Hainan (2014, 2015) as well as on the podium of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (2011). He has a stage win at the 2013 Vuelta a España (team time trial).  

“Zeits is our old reliable domestique who had learned to win last year. We all cheered for his excellent performance at last Olympic Games. He was in front and could fight for medals. We prolong his contract for two years, he is has been working successfully for the team several years, he is a true professional,” added Astana’s General Manager.

25-old Arman Kamyshev has been a member of Astana since 2013. He is the Kazakhstan National champion. In 2014, He won a stage of the Tour of Hainan and earlier in his career he had won stages of the Tour of Bulgaria, Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta Mont Blanc, Coupe des Nations Ville Saguenay as well as one-day race ZLM Tour. 

“Arman Kamyshev is the Kazakhstan National champion. Notwithstanding that he has only one victory. He is the champion and we believe in his potential! The rider has not liberated yet, he is 25 years old, I think he will express himself. We have prolonged his contract for one year. In whole, the Kazakhstan guys grow up; I hope that in a short time we will look forward to the wins of our guys in large races,” Vinokurov summarized.