Astana-Leading Tech reveal Giro d’Italia and Tour de France targets at workforce presentation

The Astana-Leading Tech staff have announced that Aleksandr Vlasov will target the common classification at the 2021 Giro d’Italia, whilst Jakob Fuglsang will give up hopes of total achievements at the Tour de France, rather concentrating on stage victories and other Classics after his Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia victories.

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Astana-Premier Tech 2021

Fuglsang will also take intention at the Tokyo Olympic Game titles, as will teammate Alexey Lutsenko, when Ion Izagirre will continue to focus on shorter stage races and primarily the Itzulia Basque Nation race. 

Astana-Premier Tech are formally a Kazakh-Canadian crew for 2021, with the Canadian biotechnology organization now a title sponsor and equal workforce proprietor. 

Hugo Houle and Ben Perry fly the flag for Canada in the team, with Steve Bauer on board as a directeur sportif. Alexandr Vinokourov remains as staff manager as handling director Yana Seel will take far more management and go the workforce ahead.

Astana-Premier Tech offered their 2021 colors past 7 days, retaining the Astana blue but adding a geometric fade. They showed off their colors and confirmed their ambitions at a virtual crew presentation on Sunday afternoon from their coaching camp in Spain.

The crew has a 31-rider roster for 2021, with eight new signings, which include Stefan de Bod and talented young Italians Samuele Battistella -the underneath-23 entire world champion in Yorkshire, Matteo Sobrero and Andrea Piccolo.     

“We’re quite happy that Premier Tech have come on board as a title sponsor and co-operator. It’s the initially time we’ve introduced a significant global firm as an equivalent share co-owner alongside our partners from Kazakhstan. Owning these two functions onboard offers us self-assurance for the extended phrase,” Seel mentioned throughout the presentation.

“We have been quite grateful to be equipped to journey all three Grand Excursions in 2020 and win 15 races. I just hope we can have a regular year in 2021, which is a great deal in these tough moments.”

Vinokourov hopes the workforce can get 30 races in 2021 and return to the podium at the Giro d’Italia with Vlasov. Miguel Angel Lopez completed sixth at the Tour de France but has opted to transfer to Movistar.   

The talented 24-yr-old Vlasov was joined to Ineos Grenadiers soon after winning the Giro dell’Emilia and impressing at the Vuelta a España. Nevertheless, he experienced a agreement for 2021 and Astana hope staff leadership at the Giro can tempt him to increase his contract. Vlasov moved to Italy to race as a Junior and speaks Italian fluently. He was struck by a virus and abandoned during stage 2 this year his climbing potential will make him a authentic contender for the Corsa Rosa.            

“Like previous calendar year, I will get started my 2021 season with Tour de la Provence adopted by Volta ao Algarve and Paris-Nice. Just after individuals races, I will start to put together with an altitude camp, and my participation at the Tour of the Alps, for my most important objective of the season, the Giro d’Italia,” Vlasov claimed. 

“I previously got a flavor of Grand Tours at last year’s Giro, which was not the Grand Tour start out I was hoping for, and the Vuelta. I am seriously determined to return to Italy and attempt to give my very best. Beside the Giro d’Italia, the Olympic Game titles are an party to focus on.”

Fuglsang turns 36 in March but insisted he is continue to ambitious and determined right after concentrating on street racing later than most.  The Dane has usually tried to target Grand Tours but constantly occur unstuck following crashes and dips in form. 

He received Il Lombardia in August and will even concentrate on the Tour of Flanders in 2021, as he tries to accumulate Monument Classics. Olympic gold will be a central intention to his year right after he won a silver medal driving Greg van Avermaet in 2016 in Rio.

“My to start with highlight of the season will be the Ardennes Classics, with the Italian spring races as preparing. After that, I will choose on the Tour de France to get prepared for the Olympic Video games, wherever I hope to improve Rio’s silver into Tokyo’s gold medal,” he reported. 

“Of study course, it’d be fantastic to gather at minimum one phase get at the Tour de France, but my main concentration will be the Olympic street race. I am satisfied with my calendar and imagine the Tour route, like the parcours in Tokyo, suits me to accomplish anything fantastic.”