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{{about||the cycling team known as Astana in the latter part of 2006|ONCE (cycling team)|the women's cycling team|Astana Women's Team}}

{{Infobox cycling team
| name    = Astana Pro Team
| image       = [[File:Astana (cycling team) logo.svg|200px]]
| code        = AST
| registered        = [[Kazakhstan]]
| founded     = {{start date|2007}}
| disbanded   =
| bicycles    = [[Argon 18]]
| components  = [[Shimano/FSA]]
| website     = http://astanaproteam.kz/
| generalmanager     = [[Alexander Vinokourov]]
| teammanager = [[Serguei Yakovlev]]<br/>[[Gorazd Štangelj]]<br/>[[Stefano Zanini]]<br/>Dmitriy Sedoun<br/>[[Dmitriy Fofonov]]<br/>[[Alexandre Shefer]]
| discipline  = [[Road bicycle racing|Road]]
| status      = [[UCI WorldTeam]]
| season      = 2007–
| oldname     = Astana Pro Team
| kitimage    = Astana Pro Team jersey.png
| current     = 2017 Astana season
}}
'''Astana Pro Team''' ({{UCI code|AST}}) is a professional [[road bicycle racing]] [[cycling team|team]] sponsored by the [[Samruk-Kazyna]], a coalition of state-owned companies from [[Kazakhstan]] and named after its [[capital (political)|capital]] city [[Astana]]. Astana attained [[UCI ProTeam]] status in its inaugural year, 2007. Following a major doping scandal involving Kazakhstani rider [[Alexander Vinokourov]], team management was terminated and new management brought in for the 2008 season. The team was then managed by [[Johan Bruyneel]], former team manager of [[Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team|U.S. Postal/Discovery Channel]] team.  Under Bruyneel the ethical nature of the team did not improve, although Astana in this period was very successful. With a lineup including Grand Tour winner [[Alberto Contador]], as well as runner-up [[Andreas Klöden]] the results were there, however the team was on the verge of financial collapse in May 2009. A battle for control of the team led to the return of Vinokourov for the [[2009 Vuelta a España]] caused Bruyneel and at least fourteen of its riders to leave at the end of the 2009 season, most for {{ct|RadioShack}}. Only four Spanish riders, including Contador, and most of the Kazakhs remained with the rebuilt team for 2010. Those four Spaniards all left the team for {{ct|SBS|2011}} in 2011.

==History==

===Demise of Liberty Seguros-Würth===
Astana first became involved in sponsoring cycling during the 2006 season. The Spanish [[Liberty Seguros-Würth team]] was heavily implicated in the [[Operación Puerto doping case]] and the sponsors [[Liberty Mutual]], and later Würth, withdrew their sponsorship of the team. Astana stepped in to sponsor the team, and during the second half of the season, Vinokourov won the [[2006 Vuelta a España|Vuelta a España]] while riding for the renamed Team Astana, and his Kazakh teammate [[Andrey Kashechkin]] finished third.

===2007: Formation of the new team===
[[File:Vinokourov TDF2012.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Alexander Vinokourov - [[Vuelta a España|Vuelta]]-2006 winner]]
The new Astana management initially tried to buy the ProTour licence of the former Liberty Seguros-Würth team, held by [[Manolo Saiz]]. However, Saiz was reluctant to sell, so Astana applied for a licence in their own right. Initially, the new team was based in Switzerland under the holding company of Zeus Sarl and managed by former [[Tour de Suisse]] organiser [[Marc Biver]]. Vinokourov was the team's debut leader.

The [[Union Cycliste Internationale|UCI]] ProTour license commission first informed Astana that they would not be granted a ProTour License for the 2007 season. Following UCI's decision not to grant a ProTour license, the organizers of the three Grand Tours informed Astana Team that they would be included, regardless of ProTour license status. On 20 December 2006 the UCI License Commission relented and awarded Astana Team a 4-year ProTour license.

Other prominent new riders for the 2007 season included stage race specialists [[Andreas Klöden]], [[Paolo Savoldelli]] and [[Andrey Kashechkin]], as well as [[Matthias Kessler]], [[Grégory Rast]], [[Thomas Frei]] and Spanish climber [[Antonio Colom]].
{{clear}}

===2008===
[[File:Team Astana Auto.jpg|thumb|right|2008 team car]]
Riding under a [[Luxembourg]]ian license, the team also included other ex-Discovery Channel riders such as [[Tomas Vaitkus]], [[Sérgio Paulinho]], [[Chechu Rubiera]], [[Vladimir Gusev (cyclist)|Vladimir Gusev]] and [[Janez Brajkovic]], as well as American [[Chris Horner]].

[[File:Alberto Contador Tour 2010 team presentation.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Alberto Contador]]
The Astana team was not invited to the [[2008 Giro d'Italia]] based on failing to meet the criteria of ethics, quality, or internationality.<ref>{{cite web |author=Stephen Farrand |title=ASTANA AND HIGH ROAD NOT INVITED TO 2008 GIRO D’ITALIA |url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/347805/astana-and-high-road-not-invited-to-2008-giro-d-italia.html |publisher=Cycling Weekly |date=February 1, 2008 |accessdate=July 11, 2009}}</ref> However, on 3 May, one week before the start of the race, Giro organizers chose to extend a last-minute invitation to Astana.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s-3-10-17106-1,00.html |title=Astana Will Race The Giro |author=AFP |publisher=''Bicycling'' |date=2008-05-04 |accessdate=2009-05-11 |authorlink=Agence France-Presse |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009225141/http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s-3-10-17106-1,00.html |archivedate=October 9, 2008 }}</ref> Astana was able to field a team despite the short notice, and on 1 June, Alberto Contador won the [[2008 Giro d'Italia|Giro]], finishing 11th on the final stage time trial to keep his pink jersey and take the overall victory. Contador also won the [[2008 Vuelta a España]], with teammate Levi Leipheimer finishing a close second. Thus, despite not competing in the Tour de France, Astana still won two Grand Tours in 2008 and achieved three podiums. Leipheimer also won a bronze medal in the time trial in the 2008 Olympics, just edging Contador, who finished fourth.

Among the other results achieved by the team were victories in several stage races: by Contador in the [[2008 Vuelta al País Vasco|Vuelta al País Vasco]] and the [[2008 Vuelta a Castilla y León|Vuelta a Castilla y León]], by Leipheimer in the [[2008 Tour of California|Tour of California]], by Klöden in the [[2008 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]] and by Russian [[Sergei Ivanov (cyclist)|Sergei Ivanov]] in the [[Tour de Wallonie]]. Various team members also achieved several other top-tier results, and Ivanov, Paulinho, Vaikus and two of the Kazakhs won their national championships.

Astana's strict anti-doping policy came to the forefront later in the year. On 28 July Astana fired [[Vladimir Gusev (cyclist)|Vladimir Gusev]] for showing "abnormal values" in an internal doping check. In a release from team director Johan Bruyneel it was indicated that although the results "do not indicate the use of banned substances, the team has therefore applied the contractual terms based on these physiological and biological abnormalities", dismissing Gusev "with immediate effect." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.velonews.com/article/80810/astana-sacks-gusev-over--abnormal-values--found-during|title=Astana sacks Gusev over 'abnormal values' found during internal checks - VeloNews.com|work=VeloNews.com}}</ref> On 17 June 2009, almost a year later, the Court of Arbitration in Sport ruled that  Bruyneel's company, Olympus sarl, which held the rider contracts, had violated Swiss employment contract law by firing Gusev on the suspicion of doping without prior implementation of the special procedure provided under terms of the contract. The company was ordered to pay Gusev back wages, damages and legal costs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gusev-back-in-action-after-cas-decision|title=Gusev back in action after CAS decision| author=Jean-François Quénet| date=2009-06-17| publisher=cyclingnews.com | accessdate=2009-07-07| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090620060925/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gusev-back-in-action-after-cas-decision| archivedate= 20 June 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Swiss International Arbitration Law Reports, 2007-2009 Vols. 1-3|date=Apr 1, 2012|publisher=uris Publishing, Inc|isbn=978-1-937518-04-2|pages=456–457|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bgr7AwAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA456&lpg=RA1-PA456&dq=Vladimir+Gusev+CAS&source=bl&ots=zYWvAMsI3A&sig=mRS1ItZcezO0LNOTQZz50gbyYgY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjIztP0tZnMAhUDbSYKHSE5BwYQ6AEIUjAO#v=onepage&q=Vladimir%20Gusev%20CAS&f=false|accessdate=19 April 2016}}</ref>

===2009: The return of Lance Armstrong===
[[File:Lance2009.jpg|thumb|left|[[Lance Armstrong]] [[Giro d'Italia]]]]
On 25 September 2008, it was confirmed that [[Lance Armstrong]] - at the time considered a seven-time Tour de France winner - would leave retirement to ride for the team in the 2009 season. Along with Armstrong, [[Yaroslav Popovych]], another former Discovery Channel rider, joined the ranks of Astana, which brought the number of former Discovery Channel riders on Astana to nine (Armstrong, Popovych, Contador, Leipheimer, Rubiera, Noval, Vaitkus, Paulinho and Brajkovič).

It was reported that Armstrong would share team leadership with current leader Contador, that he intended to participate in the [[Tour Down Under]], the [[Tour of California]], [[Paris–Nice]], the [[Tour de Georgia]], the [[Critérium du Dauphiné Liberé]] and the [[Tour de France]], and that he would receive no salary or bonuses, instead directing his attention to raising awareness for cancer research.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lavuelta.com/08/ingles/online/peli11.html?e=11 |title=Route Summary Stage 11 |quote=Astana team-manager Johan Bruyneel has admitted that he has spoken with Lance Armstrong and has stated that he can't see the North American riding for any team other than Astana. |accessdate=2008-09-12 |publisher=La Vuelta '08 |date=2008-09-10 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912224123/http://www.lavuelta.com/08/ingles/online/peli11.html?e=11 |archivedate=12 September 2008 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?englishnews&20080925&56&525486|title=RTHK English News|work=rthk.org.hk}}</ref>

Along with Armstrong and Popovych, Astana also signed [[Jesús Hernández (cyclist)|Jesús Hernández]], who had joined the former [[Liberty Seguros]] team in 2004 when Alberto Contador was one of the riders there, and Basque rider [[Haimar Zubeldia]]. Contador expressed his support for the return of Vinokourov from his two-year doping suspension but seemed less enthusiastic about Armstrong's return.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=3649470|title=Astana's Contador cautious in welcoming Armstrong back from retirement|date=2008-10-17|author=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[ESPN]]|accessdate=2009-07-03}}</ref>

Armstrong was part of the team that participated in the season's first ProTour race, the [[2009 Tour Down Under]]. The team's first victory of the season was the 6th stage, followed by the general classification, of the [[Tour of California]] by [[Levi Leipheimer]]. In the same week, [[Alberto Contador]] won a stage and the classification of the [[Volta ao Algarve]], and subsequently two stages in the [[2009 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]] race.

Armstrong's participation in the Tour was cast into doubt in late March, after he suffered a [[clavicle fracture|broken collarbone]] in the [[2009 Vuelta a Castilla y León|Vuelta a Castilla y León]] that required surgical repair. However, Armstrong was able to recover in time to ride in the [[2009 Giro d'Italia]].

====Financial crisis====
[[File:Astana - Tour de Romandie 2009-2.jpg|thumb|left|Team time trial at the [[2009 Tour de Romandie]]]]
On 6 May 2009, Astana admitted that it had failed to pay its riders amid the financial crisis in Kazakhstan, but a team spokesman said that this was only a delay, that the team was not in danger of folding, and that the team would compete in the [[2009 Giro d'Italia]] as planned.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/may/06/lance-armstrong-cycling-astana|title=Lance Armstrong's Astana team fails to pay riders amid financial crisis|date=2009-05-06|work=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=2009-05-06| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090509185437/http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/may/06/lance-armstrong-cycling-astana| archivedate= 9 May 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> On 7 May Armstrong, riding for Astana on an unpaid basis, expressed his sympathy for employees waiting for their wages only days before the start of the Giro d'Italia.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/8037598.stm|title=Armstrong ponders Astana takeover |date=2009-05-07|work=[[BBC Sport]]|accessdate=2009-05-07| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090508012355/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/8037598.stm| archivedate= 8 May 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> He also said that if the financial crisis was not resolved, the team's license should be turned over to Bruyneel, which he said was the "most logical solution."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/08052009/58/armstrong-bruyneel-buy-astana.html|title=Armstrong: Bruyneel could buy Astana|date=2009-05-08|work=[[Eurosport]]|accessdate=2009-05-10}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

Organizationally, Astana had an unusual structure. Although the Kazakh team holds the UCI license and pays the salaries, the individual rider contracts and equipment leases are held by Bruyneel's Luxembourg-based Olympus SARL, so the team could continue with merely a license transfer. UCI President [[Pat McQuaid]] was planning a visit to Astana during the Giro to discuss the team's future.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/05/07/cycling.astana/|title=UCI monitoring Astana's financial situation|date=2009-05-07|work=[[CNN]]|accessdate=2009-05-10}}</ref> According to Armstrong: "I don't have any concrete answers but I suspect we can find some funding that would get us from June to the end of the year."<ref name="BBC" /> On 11 May, the UCI set a deadline for resolving Astana's financial situation of 31 May, the last day of the Giro. If the team had not met its financial obligations by that date, it would be suspended by the UCI. Bruyneel noted that at least the team would be able to finish the Giro under its current banner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/05/11/ap/sports/d9847sr80.txt |title=UCI gives Armstrong's Astana team May 31 deadline |date=2009-05-11|author=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[Casper Star-Tribune]]|accessdate=2009-05-11}}</ref>

During stage 7 of the Giro, eight of the nine Astana riders, including Armstrong, rode in jerseys with the non-paying sponsors' names nearly faded out in protest over the team's unpaid salaries and remained in such jerseys for the rest of the Giro. The only rider not to participate was [[Andrey Zeits]] from Kazakhstan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.universalsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=23000&ATCLID=3738641|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523055616/http://www.universalsports.com:80/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=23000&ATCLID=3738641|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2009-05-23|title=Astana riders blank out sponsors' names in protest|date=2009-05-15|author=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Universal Sports]]|accessdate=2009-05-15}} </ref> According to Bruyneel, the names of paying sponsors, such as [[Trek Bicycle Corporation|Trek]] and [[KazMunayGas]], were not blanked out, and the team would continue to "race with these shirts until everything, emphasis on everything, is fixed", as "the riders have only received two months of salary in 2009."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/race_recaps/giro072009.html|title=Team Astana makes a statement|date=2009-05-15|publisher=Astana Cycling Team}}</ref> On 19 May, Bruyneel announced that the sponsors had paid part of the past-due wages since the start of the protest "but the major part is still missing."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/feedarticle/8516712|title=Astana owners cough up part of riders' owed wages|date=2009-05-20|author=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=2009-05-20}}</ref> On 3 June the Astana team gave financial guarantees to cycling's governing body which would allow them to compete in the [[2009 Tour de France]] in July,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/8082188.stm|title=Armstrong team to continue racing
|date=2009-06-03|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=2009-06-03| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090604025400/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/8082188.stm| archivedate= 4 June 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> and later that month declared their financial problems to be resolved and the funds secure at least to the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-says-its-money-problems-are-over|title=Astana says its money problems are over|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref>

====Vinokourov versus Bruyneel====
[[File:Bruyneel 2009.jpg|right|150 px|thumb|Johan Bruyneel as the director of the Team Astana, 2009]]
During these financial problems, it was rumored that three of the former Discovery Channel riders on the team&nbsp;– team leader Contador and his domestiques Noval and Paulinho&nbsp;– would join [[Garmin-Slipstream]] for the Tour de France if Armstrong were to take over the Astana team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vaughters-downplays-contador-rumours|title=Vaughters downplays Contador rumors|date=2009-06-24|author=Shane Stokes|publisher=cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2009-07-03| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090627101630/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vaughters-downplays-contador-rumours| archivedate= 27 June 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> These problems seemed to be resolved, at least for the remainder of 2009, when the team's funding was resolved. However, the funding battle may have been merely a skirmish related to the underlying issue: control of the Astana team after the expiration of the two-year doping suspension of Alexander Vinokourov on 24 July 2009.

On 2 July, Vinokourov stated that he would return to Astana, which he noted was "created for me and thanks to my efforts", when his suspension ended, and that he would ride for Astana in the 2009 [[Vuelta a España]]. He stated that he expected to reach agreement with Bruyneel about his return within the week, but that "if Bruyneel does not want me, it will be Bruyneel who is leaving the team."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/94137/vino--says-he-will-be-on-astana--or-heads-will-roll|title='Vino' says he will be on Astana ... or heads will roll|publisher=VeloNews.com|date=2009-07-02}}</ref> The next day, the French newspaper ''[[L'Equipe]]'' reported that the Kazakh Cycling Federation planned to fire Bruyneel, Armstrong, Leipheimer and many of the other riders and rebuild the team in the model of the old Liberty Seguros team, which was predominantly Spanish. The paper quoted the vice-president of the Kazakh federation as saying, "[Contador] will be our sole leader for years to come [and] will be able to pick out the riders he wants to ride with him. In our mind, the team will be composed of Spanish and Kazakh riders, including Alexander Vinokourov."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kazakh-coup-to-oust-armstrong-and-bruyneel-from-team-astana|title=Kazakh coup to oust Armstrong and Bruyneel from Team Astana?|date=2009-07-03|author=Susan Westemeyer|publisher=cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2009-07-04}}</ref>

On 21 July, with Contador, Armstrong and Klöden holding three of the top four places in the Tour de France, Bruyneel told Belgian channel VRT that Astana as currently constituted was "finished" and that he would be leaving the team, as Vinokourov and the Kazakh federation had discussed, at the end of the season.<ref name="quit">{{cite web|url=http://tdf.sbs.com.au/tdf2009/news/article/15881/Bruyneel-says-it-s-time-to-quit-Astana |title=Bruyneel says it's time to quit Astana |date=2009-07-22 |publisher=[[Special Broadcasting Service]] |accessdate=2009-07-21 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725101424/http://tdf.sbs.com.au:80/tdf2009/news/article/15881/Bruyneel-says-it-s-time-to-quit-Astana |archivedate=2009-07-25 |df= }}</ref> Despite the comments by Vinokourov and the Kazakhstan federation, Bruyneel and Vinokourov did not reach an agreement regarding Vinokourov's return to Astana for 2009, and the team submitted a preliminary roster to the [[2009 Vuelta a España]] listing him only as a reserve.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/preliminary-vuelta-a-espana-startlist-announced |title=Preliminary Vuelta a España startlist announced |author=Richard Tyler |date=2009-08-14 |publisher=cyclingnews.com |accessdate=2009-08-18| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090830234222/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/preliminary-vuelta-a-espana-startlist-announced| archivedate= 30 August 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> Finally, on 24 August, Astana announced that an agreement had been reached between Vinokourov and Bruyneel and that Vinokourov would rejoin the team for the start of the Vuelta.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vinokourov-to-head-to-the-tour-of-spain-with-astana |title=Vinokourov to head to the Tour of Spain with Astana |author=cyclingnews.com |date=2009-08-24}}</ref> The next day, Armstrong announced that Bruyneel would take over [[Team RadioShack]] in 2010.<ref name="JBmove">{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aapVgx7rq1NI |title=Armstrong Says Bruyneel to Join New Team, Landis a Possibility |author=Fergal O'Brien |date=2009-08-25 |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg.com]]}}</ref>

===2010===
The immediate result of Vinokourov's return and Bruyneel's departure was a mass exodus from Astana. Although Bruyneel still had a year to run on his contract, Astana permitted his departure in return for him not blocking Vinokourov's return. Contador also had a year on his contract, and Astana refused to permit his departure. However, much of the rest of the team departed for RadioShack, including Armstrong, Klöden, Leipheimer, Zubeldia, Horner, Brajkovič, Popovych, Paulinho, Vaitkus, Rast, Rubiera and Muravyev (the only Kazakh to depart), which meant that eight of the nine members of the winning Astana team at the [[2009 Tour de France]] moved to RadioShack. Additionally, Schär and Morabito joined {{ct|BMC}}. All that remained of Astana was four Spanish riders (Contador, Noval, Navarro and Hernández) and the Kazakhs (except Muravyev). Subsequently, the team signed three more Spanish riders, including 2006 Tour champion [[Óscar Pereiro]],<ref>Associated Press, [https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/dec/09/oscar-pereiro-agrees-deal-astana "Oscar Pereiro agrees deal to join Astana team for one year"], [[The Guardian]], Dec. 9, 2009. Retrieved 12-24-2009.</ref> to support Contador. Consistent with the July 2009 plan, the 2010 team included 12 Kazakhs and 7 Spaniards among its 26 riders.

===2013-2016: Nibali era===
{{multiple image|perrow = 1|total_width=220
| image1 = Nibali Maglia Rosa.jpg|width1=220|height1=150
| image2 = Vincenzonibali.jpg|width2=220|height2=130
| footer = [[Vincenzo Nibali]] on route to winning the [[2013 Giro d'Italia]] and [[2014 Tour de France]].}}
When Contador left the team after the 2010 season, the Spanish faction of the team declined, to be replaced by an Italian element; in 2011 and 2012, the team signed [[Enrico Gasparotto]], [[Mirco Lorenzetto]], [[Francesco Masciarelli]], [[Jacopo Guarnieri]], [[Francesco Gavazzi]], [[Simone Ponzi]], and [[Fabio Aru]], while in the same period of time [[David de la Fuente]], [[Daniel Navarro]], [[Jesús Hernández (cyclist)|Jesús Hernández]], [[Benjamín Noval]], [[Óscar Pereiro]], and [[Josep Jufré]] resigned, so that by the beginning of the 2012 season there were no Spanish riders of the team. In 2013, the team signed [[Valerio Agnoli]], [[Andrea Guardini]], [[Alessandro Vanotti]], and [[Vincenzo Nibali]], who immediately won [[Tirreno–Adriatico]] and the [[Giro d'Italia]]. Then Nibali wore the leader's jersey more than any other Italian in the history of the Vuelta (13 stages out of 21), but lost first place to American [[Chris Horner]] ([[RadioShack-Nissan]]). In 2014, Vincenzo Nibali won the [[Tour de France]] and became the sixth cyclist who have won the three Grand Tours. In August the team announced they had signed [[Lars Boom]] ({{ct|BEL}}), [[Luis León Sánchez]] ({{ct|CJR}}), [[Davide Malacarne]] ({{ct|EUC}}) & [[Diego Rosa (cyclist)|Diego Rosa]] ({{ct|AND}}) for the 2015 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/cycling-weeklys-2014-2015-transfer-index-132202|title=Professional cycling 2014-2015 Transfer Index|date=7 August 2014|work=Cycling Weekly}}</ref> On August 20, the team announced the signing of [[Rein Taaramäe]] ({{ct|COF}}) on a one-year deal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/taaramae-signs-one-year-deal-with-astana|title=Taaramae signs one-year deal with Astana|author=Cycling News|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref> With the 2014 addition of [[Michele Scarponi]] and in 2015, [[Dario Cataldo]], the team at the beginning of the [[2015 Astana season|2015 season]], had a plurality Italian element, with 9 riders out of 25, and only 5 Kazakh riders remaining.

===Doping controversies===
The team recorded its first doping positive in April, 2007, when [[Matthias Kessler]] tested positive for [[testosterone (medication)|testosterone]] following a surprise control in [[Charleroi]] and later analysis of his B-sample.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-fires-kessler-after-positive-b-sample|title=Astana fires Kessler after positive B-sample|author=Shane Stokes|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref> Later in July, [[Eddy Mazzoleni]], left the team after allegations of doping usage. Mazzoleni, who had finished 3rd in the [[2007 Giro d'Italia]], was later suspended for two years for his alleged involvement in the [[Oil for Drugs]] doping case.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jun07/jun30news|title=www.cyclingnews.com - the world centre of cycling|work=cyclingnews.com}}</ref> On the eve of the [[2007 Tour de France]], [[Alexander Vinokourov]] confirmed he had received coaching from controversial doctor [[Michele Ferrari]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jul07/jul06news3|title=www.cyclingnews.com - the world centre of cycling|work=cyclingnews.com}}</ref> The next positive doping result came from team-leader Vinokourov, after a positive result for [[blood doping]] (blood transfusion). As a result, ASO (the organisers of the [[Tour de France]] "invited" Team Astana's management to withdraw the entire team from the Tour de France; this invitation was immediately accepted.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/6914301.stm|title=Cycling News |accessdate=2007-07-26 |publisher=BBC News | date=2007-07-24}}</ref> Following confirmation that Vinokourov's B-sample had also tested positive, the Astana Team announced that he had been sacked with immediate effect.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/6922680.stm|title=Vinokourov fired by Astana team|accessdate=2007-07-30 |publisher=BBC News | date=2007-07-30}}</ref> On 1 August 2007, fellow Kazakh [[Andrey Kashechkin]] tested positive for homologous blood doping following an out-of-competition test in [[Belek]], [[Turkey]]. He was suspended and subsequently fired. This was followed by the termination of [[José Antonio Redondo]]'s contract after "failing to abide by team rules", making him the fifth rider of the team to leave during the 2007 season.

Following the doping problems of 2007, the sponsors of Astana replaced Biver with [[Johan Bruyneel]], the former [[directeur sportif]] of the defunct [[Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team]]. Bruyneel had the mandate to start afresh with the team, so he hired a number of former Discovery riders including [[2007 Tour de France]] winner [[Alberto Contador]] (who had ridden with Vinokourov on the old Liberty Seguros team) and third-place finisher [[Levi Leipheimer]]. Additionally, Bruyneel introduced the anti-doping system developed by Dr. [[Rasmus Damsgaard]], Head of Information for Anti Doping Danmark (ADD). The anti-doping system was initially used by [[Team CSC]] starting in 2007.<ref>[https://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=reu-astanabruyneel&prov=reuters&type=lgns Bruyneel to head new-look Astana team in 2008]&nbsp;– Cycling&nbsp;– Yahoo! Sports</ref> The link between the Discovery Channel team and Astana was strengthened when Bruyneel signed a contract with [[Trek Bicycle Corporation]] to supply the team with bicycles and components, as they had done with Discovery Channel. Bruyneel also affirmed sponsorship with [[SRAM (bicycles)|SRAM]], the component maker.

On 13 February 2008, the organisers of both the [[Giro d'Italia]] and Tour de France announced that Astana would be barred from their 2008 Grand Tours, due to the teams links to [[Operación Puerto doping case|Operación Puerto]] and involvement in the 2007 Tour doping scandals. This meant that Contador was unable to defend his Tour crown, because his contract did not have an "escape clause" that covered Astana's current situation.<ref name="2008 Tour ban">{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=cycling&id=3243633 |title=Tour de France organizers exclude Astana team; Alberto Contador may not defend title |author=[[Associated Press]] |publisher=[[ESPN.com]] |date=2008-02-13 |accessdate=2008-02-15}}</ref> One week before the [[2008 Giro d'Italia]], the organisers went on to invite the team to the race,<ref name="autobus.cyclingnews.com">{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/may08/may05news|title=www.cyclingnews.com - the world centre of cycling|work=cyclingnews.com}}</ref> a race which [[Alberto Contador]] went on to win.<ref name="autobus.cyclingnews.com"/> In July, [[Vladimir Gusev (cyclist)|Vladimir Gusev]] was sacked by the team due to "irregular values" highlighted by the team's new, internal, anti-doping system.<ref>http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-sacks-gusev-for-irregular-values</ref>

In 2009, after returning from retirement, [[Lance Armstrong]] was accused by the French anti-doping agency of acting improperly by disappearing from the sight of the anti-doping investigator for 20 minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/apr09/apr09news3|title=www.cyclingnews.com - the world centre of cycling|work=cyclingnews.com}}</ref> In June, [[Assan Bazayev]] was given a two-week internal suspension for not correctly reporting his whereabouts properly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-suspends-bazayev-over-whereabouts|title=Astana suspends Bazayev over whereabouts|author=Susan Westemeyer|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref>

In September 2010, [[Alberto Contador]] returned a positive doping test for [[Clenbuterol]] at the [[2010 Tour de France]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alberto-contador-tests-positive-for-clenbuterol|title=Alberto Contador tests positive for clenbuterol|author=Cycling News|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref> After a two-year legal procedure, Contador is stripped of his 2010 Tour de France win (and 2011 Giro d'Italia victory).

In 2011, [[Roman Kreuziger]] finished 5th at the [[2011 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]] as well as winning the best young rider classification. In 2014, the UCI began proceedings against him for biological passport anaomalies dated from 2011 and 2012 – the two years he spent at Astana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/astana-timeline-eight-years-of-shadows|title=Astana timeline: Eight years of shadows|author=Barry Ryan|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref>

In 2012, former Astana riders and staff including; Lance Armstrong, [[Johan Bruyneel]], [[Levi Leipheimer]], Dr. Pedro Celaya and Dr. Luis del Moral are heavily implicated in the mass doping scandal which surrounded the [[U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team|U.S. Postal /Discovery Channel]] team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/usadas-reasoned-decision-on-lance-armstrong-follows-the-money-trail|title=USADA's reasoned decision on Lance Armstrong follows the money trail|author=Laura Weislo|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref>

In September 2014, it emerged that [[Valentin Iglinskiy]] has returned a positive test for EPO <ref>http://www.uci.ch/mm/Document/News/CleanSport/16/67/88/20141009ADRVProvisionalSuspensionEN_English.pdf</ref> at the [[2014 Eneco Tour|Eneco Tour]], he confessed to doping to the team and was immediately sacked,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valentin-iglinskiy-sacked-by-astana-after-positive-test|title=Valentin Iglinskiy sacked by Astana after positive test|author=Cycling News|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref> three weeks later Valentin's brother, [[Maxim Iglinskiy]] was provisionally suspended by the UCI for an EPO-positive on August 1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/maxim-iglinskiy-provisionally-suspended-for-epo|title=Maxim Iglinskiy provisionally suspended for EPO|author=Cycling News|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref> It was later announced that Astana withdrew themselves from the [[2014 Tour of Beijing|Tour of Beijing]] per the [[Mouvement pour un cyclisme crédible|MPCC]] rules, who state that a team with 2 positives in a short period of time must not participate in the next World Tour event.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-withdraws-from-tour-of-beijing-following-maxim-iglinskiy-positive|title=Astana withdraws from Tour of Beijing following Maxim Iglinskiy positive|work=[[Cyclingnews.com]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|date=6 October 2014|accessdate=7 October 2014}}</ref>

Subsequently, a sample taken at the [[Tour de l'Avenir]] in August from Ilya Davidenok, a rider with the [[Astana Continental Team]] and a [[Stagiaire (cycling)|stagiaire]] with the Astana Pro Team, tested positive for anabolic steroids. Davidenok was provisionally suspended, and a review into the team's licence was announced following the positive tests for Davidenok and the Iglinskiy brothers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/11168410/Astana-future-under-threat-after-Ilya-Davidenok-becomes-third-rider-to-fail-drugs-test.html |title=Astana future under threat after Ilya Davidenok becomes third rider to fail drugs test |last1=Cary |first1=Tom|date=16 October 2014 |website=[[telegraph.co.uk]] |accessdate=18 October 2014}}</ref>

===University of Lausanne independent audit===
On February 27, 2015, cycling's governing body, the UCI, requested that the team's WorldTour licence be withdrawn following an audit of its doping controls by the [[University of Lausanne|Institute of Sport Sciences]] in Lausanne. The UCI stated that the audit revealed a large difference between the team policies presented to the Licence Commission and reality.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-requests-withdrawal-of-astanas-worldtour-licence|title=UCI requests withdrawal of Astana's WorldTour licence|author=Daniel Benson|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-talking-with-lawyers-after-uci-request-licence-withdrawal|title=Astana talking with lawyers after UCI request licence withdrawal|author=Sadhbh O'Shea|work=Cyclingnews.com}}</ref> On 23 April 2015, it was finally announced by the UCI that Astana would keep their license but would be under more scrutiny.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-to-keep-worldtour-licence|title=Astana to keep WorldTour licence|work=[[Cyclingnews.com]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|date=23 April 2015|accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref>

==Team roster==
{{AST 2017 riders}}

==Major results==
{{Main article|List of Astana Pro Team wins}}

==National champions==
{{Palmares start}}
;2007
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Road Race [[Maxim Iglinsky]]
:[[File:MaillotLuxemburgo.PNG|20px]] Luxembourg Road Race [[Benoît Joachim]]
;2008
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Road Race [[Assan Bazayev]]
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Time Trial [[Andrey Mizourov]]
:[[File:MaillotRusia.PNG|20px]] Russia Road Race [[Serguei Ivanov]]
:[[File:MaillotRusia.PNG|20px]] Russia Time Trial [[Vladimir Gusev (cyclist)|Vladimir Gusev]]
:[[File:MaillotLituania.PNG|20px]] Lithuania Road Race [[Tomas Vaitkus]]
: [[File:MaillotPortugal.PNG|20px]] Portugal Time Trial [[Sérgio Paulinho]]
;2009
:[[File:MaillotEslovenia.PNG|20px]] Slovenia Time Trial [[Janez Brajkovič]]
:[[Image:MaillotEspaña.PNG|20px]] Spain Time Trial [[Alberto Contador]]
;2010
:[[File:MaillotEslovenia.PNG|20px]] Slovenia Road Race [[Gorazd Stangelj]]
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Road Race [[Maxim Gourov]]
;2011
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Road Race [[Andrey Mizourov]]
;2012
:[[File:MaillotEstonia.PNG|20px]] Estonia Road Race [[Tanel Kangert]]
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Road Race [[Assan Bazayev]]
:[[File:MaillotEslovenia.PNG|20px]] Slovenia Road Race [[Borut Božič]]
:[[File:MaillotUcrania.PNG|20px]] Ukraine Road Race [[Andriy Hryvko]]
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Time Trial [[Dmitriy Gruzdev]]
:[[File:MaillotUcrania.PNG|20px]] Ukraine Time Trial [[Andriy Hryvko]]
;2013
:[[File:MaillotEstonia.PNG|20px]] Estonia Time Trial [[Tanel Kangert]]
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Road Race [[Alexsandr Dyachenko]]
;2014
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Time Trial [[Daniil Fominykh]]
:[[File:MaillotItalia.svg|20px]] Italy Road Race  [[Vincenzo Nibali]]
;2015
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Time Trial [[Alexey Lutsenko]]
:[[File:MaillotItalia.svg|20px]] Italy Road Race  [[Vincenzo Nibali]]
;2016
:[[File:MaillotLetonia.PNG|20px]] Latvia Time Trial [[Gatis Smukulis]]
:[[File:MaillotKaz.PNG|20px]] Kazakhstan Time Trial [[Dmitriy Gruzdev]]
:[[File:MaillotLetonia.PNG|20px]] Latvia Road Race [[Gatis Smukulis]]
{{Palmares end}}

==See also==
*[[List of Astana riders]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Team Astana}}
* {{Official website|http://astanaproteam.kz/}}

{{Astana Presidential Sports Club}}
{{Astana riders}}
{{Astana seasons}}
{{UCI WorldTeams}}
{{Tour de France team classification winners}}
{{Giro d'Italia team classification winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Astana Pro Team}}
[[Category:Astana Presidential Sports Club]]
[[Category:UCI WorldTeams]]
[[Category:Cycling teams based in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Sports clubs established in 2007]]
[[Category:Sports teams in Astana]]
[[Category:Astana Pro Team| ]]