Astana Pro Team has signed Eros Capecchi and Gatis Smukulis to a one-year contract for the 2016 season.

Italian Capecchi, 29-year old, is a professional  rider since 2006 and in his career has won major races such a stage in the Giro d’Italia and the Gran Prix of Lugano. He is former teammate of captain Vincenzo Nibali at Liquigas and has spent the last few years at Movistar.

Gatis Smukulis, 28-year old from Latvia, has been national time trial champion in time trial several times and won the 2008 Ronde van Vlaanderen for Under-23 riders. He has spent several years as a domestique at Katusha.

Astana Pro Team General Manager Alexandr Vinokurov commented on these important signings for the team.

“Capecchi has great experience and will have the role to support Vincenzo Nibali in the Grand Tours, while Smukulis will be very important in the Northern classics with the task of helping our captain Lars Boom."

They are Astana's first new signings for 2016.