Astana Qazaqstan Team has announced the signing of two Italian riders, Valerio Conti and Antonio Nibali, for the upcoming cycling season. Both riders have agreed to two-year contracts with the Kazakh WorldTour team.
Valerio Conti, a strong climber and one-day racer, turned professional in 2014 and has achieved notable results throughout his career. He expressed his excitement about joining Astana and the opportunity to race alongside fellow Italian riders:
“I am happy to move to Astana Qazaqstan Team in the new season. It is a great team, and I am really looking forward to joining and to face the new challenges in the career. Astana is a strong and well-balanced international team, but of course, I am happy to see many Italian riders in the roster as it will be much easier for me to blend in quickly. The main goals for the next season are still to be discussed, but my personal wish is to try to win as much as possible,” – said Valerio Conti.
Antonio Nibali, known for his support of team leaders and his ability to excel in breakaways, also expressed his excitement about joining the team:
“I am looking forward to meet the team and to start the new season. I hope to spend some good years in Astana Qazaqstan Team, to help achieve the biggest goals of the team, to try to win something and to help the leaders in the best possible way. I am quite sure I will find a nice atmosphere in the team as I know a good part of the staff and, of course, some riders. The last two seasons were not that great due to the COVID-19 situation but I hope in the following year, step by step, everything will come back to 100% normal. I am ready for a new challenge in my career, it is an important change for me, and I hope to provide my new team with all the best I can do,” – said Antonio Nibali.
The General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team, Alexandr Vinokurov, praised the signings of Conti and Nibali, highlighting their experience and potential in winning races:
“Two strong riders are coming to our team. Both Valerio and Antonio are very experienced riders with many Grand Tour participations to their names, so they will bring some additional strength to our Grand Tour group. At the same time, these riders have good potential when it comes to winning races. Valerio Conti showed it many times in one-day races, while Antonio Nibali is known as a breakaway rider, so I am sure that they will get their chance to fight for a nice personal result,” – said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team.
The addition of Valerio Conti and Antonio Nibali is expected to strengthen the Astana Qazaqstan Team for the upcoming cycling season.
