As Cyclingnews reported in the first week of the Tour de France, Chinese carbon product manufacturer XDS Carbon-Tech will invest in the Astana Qazaqstan team, sparking the arrival of a major Chinese sponsor in the men’s WorldTour and “significant changes’ in the team.
Alexander Vinokourov will continue to play an important part in the team management but the new team is likely to be registered as a Chinese WorldTour team in 2025. The significant new investment will be used to hire several big-name riders to target enough UCI ranking points to ensure the team retains WorldTour status in 2026 when the UCI awards new three-year World Tour licences.
The team will use XDS’s X-Lab bikes.
“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,” Vinokourov said, confirming the XDS investment on the second rest day of the Tour de France.
“During the negotiations, we discussed many topics, and our views on the development of the team completely coincided. XDS is ready for long-term investment, which, among other things, will include a 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.”
Astana Qazaqstan suggested that XDS owns one of the largest bicycle manufacturers in the world and is the first professional manufacturer in mainland China that integrates design, research and development, production, and sales of cycling products.
Cyclingnews understands that the Shenzen-based company will become a major investor in the team for at least five years, with ambitions to boost Astana Qazaqstan’s budget to 'super team' level and so compete with UAE Team Emirates and Visma-Lease A Bike.
The Chinese investment should allow Vinokourov to sign several big-name riders for 2025, with Australian sprinter Kaden Groves, who is out of contract at Alpecin-Deceuninck, expected to be the first signing.
Mark Cavendish is expected to have a consultancy role with the team after he retires in 2024.
Cyclingnews understands that Vinokourov held important talks with representatives of XDS in Florence ahead of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France.
“Since 2022, we started seeking for the opportunity to get involved in the WorldTour. 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 enough budget and the best technical support,” XDS CEO Yancong Tan said in the official announcement by Astana Qazaqstan.
“The company’s management held negotiations with the Kazakh WorldTour team Astana Qazaqstan Team during the most prestigious Grand Tour, the Tour de France. As a result, mutual understanding was reached, and a decision to cooperate was made.
“The draft agreement provides for long-term investment for a period of at least five years and financing at the level of leading WorldTour teams.”
China has 15 Continental level teams and hosts a number of UCI races including the end-of-season men’s and women’s Tour of Guangxi WorldTour races. Several Chinese riders have competed at the top level but the arrival of XDS should help young Chinese riders compete in Europe.
The XDS investment comes a few weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping said that his country and Kazakhstan "have established a unique permanent comprehensive partnership” and Xi was invited to the Col du Tourmalet by Emmanuel Macron, with the French President gifting his counterpart a Tour de France yellow jersey.
