Last weekend, a meeting of Astana Pro team management was held in Astana. During the meeting, the team management summed up the past season and outlined the tasks for the next year.

As part of the visit, a meeting was held under the guidance of the President of the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation, Darkhan Kaletayev, where the reports on the current year for Astana Pro Team as well as Astana City and Vino 4-ever continental teams were discussed.

Having finished the season with the win of Alexey Lutsenko at the Tour of Hainan, Astana Pro Team got thirty four victories, seven of which belonged to the Kazakhstani riders.

"I think we had a successful season, we won the grand tour with Vincenzo Nibali and won a large number of victories in other races. Especially pleasant fact is that seven victories were won by our Kazakhstani riders," Alexandr Vinokurov, the General Manager, said.

As for the next year, Astana Pro Team also expects many changes.

"In the course of the meeting, we showed a renewed kit of the team that in the new year will get a more modern design, by maintaining, at the same time, traditional turquoise colour of jersey, so loved by the fans. We select Giordana instead of Moa factory," Vinokurov continued.

The team also expects changes with regard to bikes. As already known, the riders of Astana will use the bicycles of Argon 18 brand beginning from 2017.

In addition, it was announced that in the new season the team will include 28 riders, 9 of which will appear for the first time in the colours of the Kazakhstani professional team. The issue of inclusion of one more Kazakhstani neo-pro into the team is under consideration.

During the workshops, the Sports Directors also drew up a competitive calendar of the riders for the next season. Thus, it became known that the main goal of the team will be the Giro d'Italia, a grand tour, where Fabio Aru will lead the team. The Sports Directors are planning to appoint Jakob Fuglsang, silver medalist of the 2016 Olympics, and Miguel Angel Lopez as the captains at the Tour de France. As for the Vuelta a España, according to preliminary information, Fabio Aru will once again be the captain.

"Traditionally, it is planned to include the Kazakhstani riders, Andrey Zeits, Dmitriy Gruzdev, Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev and Alexey Lutsenko into the team to participate in the grand tours. Maybe, we will also try Daniil Fominykh and Artyom Zakharov," the General Manager of Astana said.

In addition, the date of a traditional team presentation also became known.

"We decided to make a presentation in honour of the 25th Anniversary of Independence of our country in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana. I think, it is very symbolic, the more that the team wears its name. So we invite all in Astana on December 11 -  we will bring there the whole team, and it will be a great event, come!" Alexandr Vinokurov concluded.