Alexander Vinokourov: "It's difficult to compete at a high level when there are teams that have funds that are two-three times higher"

Astana Qazaqstan Team have found themselves in a very difficult position this year but a line begins to shine as Alexey Lutsenko finally found his form. Nevertheless, team manager Alexander Vinokourov talks of the financial difficulties of the team in the current peloton, the support from the Kazakh government and where the team is currently situated.

“It's difficult to compete at a high level when there are teams that have funds that are two-three times higher than yours," the manager of Astana told Astana Times. "Right now we lack a leading rider, as in the past they are states Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali. When you have a captain declared, it's easier to build a team around him: the wings of the team spread out and the other riders multiply their efforts. But to have a leader, you have to have the funds."

And the financial situation is where Astana have not evolved over the past few years. Although they have kept performing into the mid/late 10's, recent years have been quite different. This past year Vincenzo Nibali popped back to perform greatly in his final Giro d'Italia, but he retired at the end of the season, and the team then fired it's other leader Miguel Ángel López. The available budget has been used to sign Mark Cavendish and Cees Bol but the duo has not yet brought any meaningful results to the team.

“This is a difficult period not only for Kazakhstan, but for the whole world, given what is happening. However, we hope to be able to attract a second sponsor who can support us in this adventure and which will allow us to arrive at an annual budget of between 25 and 30 million dollars (approximately 22-27 million euros - ed)," Vinokourov continued. "At that point we will be able to compete with the bigger teams: 25 million dollars is the average funds available to a WorldTour level team and we, at the moment, are nowhere near that figure“.

Astana once had leading teams that have won several Grand Tours, but over the past decade several new outfits have significantly increased their budget, and have invested in the upcoming generations which now dominate cycling. Astana was not a part of this movement greatly as they could not afford to do so. The team now sits well below the line when it comes to World Tour points and although it is still distant, 2026 will see restructuring in the World Tour and the Kazakh team risks not being part of it.

The team's future remains assured however: "I met the president Qasym-Jomart Tokaey a few months ago and he told me that there is no intention of stopping all this," he assures. "Astana is now a recognized brand all over the world. We have invested money for 17 years and we will continue to look ahead. I was happy to hear those words and now I'm already thinking about raising new champions for my country."

The team brings in under-23 World Champion Alexey Fedorov as it's emerging figure, and Alexey Lutsenko who is now the team's best performer by far. The talents the country brings up are all featured in Astana, who hope to in the next few years see the emergence of one of their riders, or sign someone who they could build a block around as has been the case in the past.

“This year, however, we had a good start, in February. March, on the other hand, was a bad period, there was always some rider who was ill. We often had to change plans at the last minute. Surely, we haven't shone, in terms of results, so far," he admitted.