OFFICIAL: Astana bring its most impressive sprinter back to the World Tour

XDS Astana Team were scrambling for UCI points this year and although the Kazakh team comfortably managed to make the split, it's easy to forget that at the start of the year, chances seemed low that the team would even be able to survive in the World Tour. Because of their ambitions, the team signed new riders and demoted some of their to its continental team, including Gleb Syritsa. Now, the 25-year old powerhouse is brought back into the Elite team for 2026.

“Over the past season, Gleb has made great progress in teamwork and in helping the leaders both during the race and in the final sprints," team manager said of the Russian sprinter in a press release. "He delivered a series of strong performances that often resulted in victories or podiums for the team. I think his partnership with Max Kanter this year was very effective. Next season, we’ll be able to count on Gleb again for WorldTour races, where his support will be equally valuable”.

Syritsa, a track specialist, is known for his height and weight which make him quite recognizable in the peloton. The Russian rider signed with Astana in 2023 after a period as a stagiaire and quickly became one of the most prominent figures in the peloton when it comes to recognition. Over the years he's taken four pro wins, all of them at the Tour de Langkawi - over three editions - but his performances have revolved around both sprinting for his own ambitions but also leading out the team's many sprinters such as Max Kanter, Matteo Malucelli and Cees Bol over the past few seasons. Although he was part of the development team on paper, he raced with the elite team most of the year, only missing out on World Tour events naturally in which he was not allowed in. Ultimately the difference was not big for him.

“I think the season was very productive for me. Of course, most of the races I did with the WorldTour team, where my role was to support the leaders and lead out our sprinters in the final kilometers," the Saint Petersburg native added. "That was the plan before the season, and I’m glad I was able to help my teammates achieve both victories and podiums in several races. At the same time, I had my own chances, both with the WorldTour and Development teams, where I managed to win and take some podium places. In any case, I’m happy to return to the main roster of our team, and next year I’ll continue giving my best to help us achieve our goals”