Chinese carbon bicycle technology manufacturer XDS confirmed Monday (July 15) that it would be investing in the professional cycling team Astana Qazaqstan.
Cyclingnews first reported on the matter earlier this month, saying that the company was looking to have the team, spearheaded by British cycling legend Sir Mark Cavendish, compete in the Chinese WorldTour by 2025.
It is understood that the undisclosed investment would be used to invite professional riders into the team to target enough official ranking points to ensure that it would retain its WorldTour status in 2026 when the International Cycling Union (UCI) would award new three-year World Tour licenses.
Some of the pro cyclists Astana and XDS aim to recruit include Australian sprinter Kaden Groves, whose contract with Alpecin-Deceuninck already expired.
As part of the deal, the team would use the bike firm's X-Lab road bicycles.
The Astana-XDS deal came a few weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China and Kazakhstan "established a unique permanent comprehensive partnership," as well as French President Emmanuel Macron inviting Xi and giving him a Tour de France yellow jersey at a meeting at the Col du Tourmalet in May.
Mark Cavendish to Stay on Astana as Consultant Post-Retirement
Earlier this month, Cavendish won his 35th Tour de France stage, cementing his place in the race's history as having the most stage wins out of any individual competitor to date.
Prior to this, the "Manx Missile," as Cavendish is called, was knighted by King Charles III in June's official birthday honors.
He is expected to retire in competitive cycling by the end of this year's season, with Groves as his likely replacement.
However, Cavendish would stay on as consultant upon retirement.
Astana GM Says Astana "Ready" for Changes in Team Development
Meanwhile, Astana general manager Alexander Vinokourov confirmed the Chinese firm's involvement in the team, saying that they were "diligently searching" for an investor who would help take the team to new developmental heights in cycling technology.
He added that the team was "ready" to face "significant changes" in its development regime and was looking forward to its partnership with XDS.
On the other hand, XDS CEO Yancong Tan disclosed that the deal was struck after Astana team members visited Shanghai this year.
It is understood that the Shenzhen-based bike firm would become Astana's major investor for at least five years, with an aim to go wheel-to-wheel with "superteams" like Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates and Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma Lease A Bike.
China currently has 15 continental-level teams and has organized multiple UCI races. Several Chinese riders have already competed at top-level competitions, but XDS's involvement would appeal to young Chinese riders to compete in Europe.
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