XDS Astana Team
XDS Astana Team is a Kazakh UCI WorldTeam managed by former Olympic champion Alexandr Vinokurov. Founded in 2007, the team has maintained WorldTour status whilst racing under various sponsor identities, with Chinese manufacturer XDS joining as co-title sponsor in 2024. The squad races on X-Lab frames with Shimano groupsets and is known for aggressive, opportunistic racing. The team has delivered two Tour de France victories, multiple Grand Tour titles, and Monument success throughout its history.
Full official team name and common short name
The team's full official name is XDS Astana Team, commonly referred to as Astana by fans and media. The team's UCI identifier is XAT.
What is the team category and status of XDS-Astana?
XDS Astana Team competes as a UCI WorldTeam, the highest classification in professional men's road cycling. This status grants automatic entry to all WorldTour races and obligates the squad to start all three Grand Tours and five Monument classics each season.
Primary disciplines
The team focuses on men's elite road racing.
Country of registration and base location
The team is registered in Kazakhstan under the Kazakh cycling federation and operates with an international infrastructure. The team maintains its headquarters in Kazakhstan.
Founding year and origin story
The team was founded in 2007 as Astana, created to promote Kazakhstan on the global sporting stage through professional cycling, though it emerged from the 2006 Liberty Seguros team. The team quickly rose to prominence and has maintained WorldTour status throughout its history.
Who are the current title sponsor and key partners of XDS-Astana
Chinese bicycle manufacturer XDS serves as title sponsor alongside Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. The team rides X-Lab frames, a brand developed specifically for the squad. Shimano provides Dura-Ace Di2 electronic groupsets, Vision supplies wheels, Continental furnishes tyres, and Prologo provides saddles. The team's equipment package reflects a mix of established brands and emerging technologies.
Previous team names and sponsor history
The team has operated under several identities: Astana (2007-2024), before XDS joined as co-title sponsor to create XDS Astana Team (2025-present). Throughout its history, the team has maintained the Astana name and Kazakh identity despite various co-sponsors and management structures, making it one of the more stable team identities in the peloton.
What are the key achievements of XDS-Astana?
The team's history includes two Tour de France victories with Alberto Contador in 2009 and Vincenzo Nibali delivering the 2014 Tour de France, one of the team's greatest triumphs. Contador also won the Giro d’Italia in 2008. Nibali also won the 2013 and 2016 Giro d’Italia whilst riding for Astana.
The team also won the Vuelta a España with Alberto Contador in 2008 and Fabio Aru in 2015. Their Monument record includes Il Lombardia victories with Vincenzo Nibali in 2015 and Jakob Fuglsang in 2020, as well as Liège Bastogne Liège wins through Alexandre Vinokourov in 2010 and Fuglsang again in 2019. Throughout its history, the squad has consistently collected stage wins across all three Grand Tours.
2026 XDS-Astana roster
The 2026 roster blends experienced classics specialists with stage-hunting climbers. Italian duo Davide Ballerini and Alberto Bettiol bring Monument pedigree and one day racing strength, with Bettiol's 2019 Tour of Flanders victory highlighting the team's classics capabilities.Â
Dutch sprinter Mike Teunissen adds fast finishing and lead-out experience from his Grand Tour career. Veteran Italian Diego Ulissi, at 36, provides stage race winning know-how with multiple Giro stage victories. Colombian climber Sergio Higuita offers genuine GC potential and explosive climbing on mountain stages.Â
Italian Lorenzo Fortunato brings breakaway expertise after winning the 2021 Giro stage to Zoncolan. French climber Clément Champoussin adds young GC depth. Kiwi veteran Aaron Gate contributes time trial strength and domestique experience.Â
The roster features emerging talents, including Austrian Marco Schrettl, Italian Alessandro Romele, and Eritrean Henok Mulubrhan. Christian Scaroni, Simone Velasco, and Harold Tejada round out a squad built for opportunistic stage wins, breakaway success, and selective classics campaigns rather than sustained GC challenges.
Leadership and key staff of XDS-Astana (2026)
Alexandr Vinokurov serves as General Manager whilst also holding an assistant sports director role, overseeing all strategic and sporting decisions for the Kazakh squad. The 2012 Olympic champion has shaped the team's identity since taking management control.
Alexandre Shefer acts as principal Sports Director, leading race tactics and rider management. The team employs an extensive rotation of assistant sports directors including former professionals Bruno Cenghialta, Claudio Cucinotta, recently retired Dario Cataldo, Dimitri Sedun, Dmitriy Fofonov, Helmut Dollinger, Laurenzo Lapage, Mario Manzoni, former British rider Peter Kennaugh, Serguei Yakovlev, Stefano Zanini, and Yvon Ledanois.Â