Astana Qazaqstan invests in youth too and recruits Tour de l'Avenir stage winner

Florian Kajamini has not deserved the tag of the best conti rider in Italy for nothing. Despite only winning three times in 2024, the 21-year-old Italian has been a consistent top-10 finisher at the highly valued Italian U23 circuit.

Interestingly, the big stand out performance from Kajamini came in April at the Giro d'Abruzzo (2.1) where he fared more than respectably against the WorldTour competition. After that race came two back-to-back victories at Tr. S. Vendemiano (U23) and Giro della Provincia Biella, followed by 7th overall finish at the Giro Next Gen. Perhaps most impressive of all was Kajamini's Tour de l'Avenir where he managed to win the penultimate stage and finish fifth overall.

"This season has been full of remarkable events and victories, and my recent success at the Tour de l’Avenir has been a significant milestone, highlighting a successful year," he highlights his recent result at the mini-Tour for U23 riders.

However the path of Kajamini wasn't always straightforward, with the biggest twist coming in form of an injury that saw the Italian miss the whole 2022 season. However his team never lost faith in the talented youngster who delivered over the past two years. "I would like to thank my current team, MBH Bank-Colpack-Ballan-CSB, with whom I spent three amazing years, achieving high results and proving myself at a high level... Together with them, I was able to achieve results that allowed me to take this big step in my career – joining the renowned Astana Qazaqstan Team."

A complicated challenge lies ahead of Astana in 2025. Despite numerous powerful signings, there is no guarantee the Kazakh team will manage to save their WorldTour license, let alone secure automatic wildcards for 2026 in case they fail. Kajamini is well aware that his role will mostly consist of assisting his leaders in racking up UCI points in his debut year.

"I am truly excited to join this team; it’s a special moment for me. I had a dream of joining the WorldTour, and now that dream is coming true. Next season, the team is undergoing changes, and I know that big goals are being set ahead, and I am 100% ready to work hard and give my best effort. I know it will be tough, but I will do everything possible to achieve success in the end. Next year, I am ready to give my all for the team, its leaders, and the team’s goals, while also gaining experience to achieve high results for myself," he concludes.