Astana Qazaqstan Team ready for "significant changes" as long-term investment from Chinese XDS is confirmed
Cycling
After the recent investment of Red Bull into the BORA - hansgrohe team, another big business has embarked on a cycling sponsorship with Chinese company XDS' long rumoured investment into the Astana Qazaqstan Team confirmed.
Already a company that has a cycling interest, "XDS owns one of the largest bicycle manufacturers in the world, with an annual production capacity of 10 million units. It is the first professional manufacturer in mainland China that integrates design, research and development, production, and sales of cycling products," according to the official announcement by the Astana Qazaqstan Team.
"Since 2022, we started seeking for the opportunity to get involved in the WorldTour," explains Yancong Tan, CEO of XDS. "It was very lucky that we met Astana Qazaqstan Team this year in the Shanghai show. During discussions we were sure that Astana was the team we wanted. For the following seasons, XDS will be the strongest backup for the team. We will make sure the team has very enough budget and the best technical support."
“We have been diligently searching for an investor capable of taking the team to a new level of development. We are pleased that the management of XDS fully shares our goals and future vision for the project. During the negotiations, we discussed many topics, and our views on the development of the team completely coincided," adds Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team. "XDS is ready for long-term investment, which, among other things, will include technical partnership with a new bicycle brand. We understand that the team and the entire project as a whole will face some significant changes, but we are ready for this. I am very happy to be part of this project and look to the future with great enthusiasm.”
Will this new investment see the Astana Qazaqstan Team get back to Grand Tour winning ways and become a major player in the peloton again? Only time will tell!
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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