Gallopin to Astana as Sport Director

Alain Gallopin is leaving his job as a Directeur Sportif at Team CSC to become Sport Director at Team Astana under incoming Team Manager Johan Bruyneel, the Frenchman announced Wednesday.

"Sport Director is a new challenge to me," the 50-year-old told the Belga press agency. "The experience attracts me, as well as perhaps my ambition of becoming the Sport Director of a French team.

"I leave CSC in a good understanding with Bjarne Riis. He said he understood my decision but could not offer me the same position."

Gallopin had worked as a Directeur Sportif for Teams Catavana-Corbeil, Française des Jeux, Mercury, Coast and Bianchi, before joining CSC in 2004.