Kazakhs pledge $22 million for Astana cycling team

Kazakhstan's state sovereign fund pledged $22 million in financial backing to the Astana cycling team Friday, ensuring the squad stays alive and Tour de France champion Alberto Contador remains in its ranks.

Astana's current racing license is due to expire at the end of next year, but recurring delays in paying salaries to riders have prompted the International Cycling Union to demand guarantees on the team's financial viability by this week.

"Samruk-Kazyna (state holding) has provided UCI with a guarantee of financial backing worth euro15 million ($22 million) for this season," Kazakh Cycling Federation deputy president Nikolai Proskurin said.

About $3.7 million has been transferred this week to the paying agency that handles team salaries, Proskurin added.

In a further symbolic gesture of state support for Astana, Samruk-Kazyna chairman Kairat Kelimbetov has been named as head of the country's cycling federation.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has taken a personal interest in the fate of the team, which is seen as a prestige project for the Central Asian nation.

Astana is also in talks with an Italian telecommunications company over an additional sponsorship deal, Proskurin said.

The Kazakh-backed team says it has submitted all the necessary documentation to ensure it retains its license. A final decision by the UCI on the team's fate is imminent and is expected by early next week.

"If they deny us a license, they would put around 60 people out of work for absolutely no reason at all," Proskurin said.

Proskurin also denied media reports that Astana has offered to double Contador's contract to $12 million per year.

According to Proskurin, rumors about the Spanish rider's future with Astana have been orchestrated by former team manager Johan Bruyneel as an attempt to sow discord. Bruyneel parted ways with Astana in July amid an acrimonious dispute over the planned return of Kazakh rider Alexander Vinokourov.

Vinokourov was given a two-year ban for blood doping during the 2007 Tour de France, forcing Astana out of the competition.

Proskurin said Astana has been approached by a number of high-profile riders with offers to compete for the team beginning in 2011. He declined to provide any names, but expressed an interest in signing Italian rider Ivan Basso, currently with Liquigas, and expressed admiration for British rider Bradley Wiggins, who placed fourth at this year's Tour.

"I would have put all my money on him not coming in among the top 10," Proskurin said. "But he worked hard, and what he managed to achieve was amazing."

Armstrong: A Magnificent Comeback

World champion cyclist Cadel Evans is wary of the threat Lance Armstrong will pose next year.

The two riders have had high-profile team changes - Evans has taken the risk of riding for second-tier squad BMC, while RadioShack will be a new ProTour squad built around Armstrong.

The pair will make the first appearances in their new colours at South Australia's Tour Down Under from January 17-24.

Armstrong, the record seven-time Tour de France winner, finished third in the race this year to confirm a successful comeback at the age of 37.

He rode for Astana and there were tensions between Armstrong and team-mate Alberto Contador, who won the Tour for the second time.

Evans had a disastrous Tour, finishing 30th overall this year after two straight second placings.

He has no doubt Armstrong will be a much tougher opponent next year.

"He's going to be bigger and more dangerous than in 2009 - I think we'll see Armstrong at another level in 2010," Evans said.

Like everyone else in world cycling, Evans is curious to see what happens to Contador, who is yet to commit to a team for next year.

While Evans and Armstrong will be a dream double act at the Tour Down Under, it will be the start of their season and they are unlikely to win overall.

Evans only started preseason training on Tuesday, as he continues with a national tour to promote his autobiography.

Still, the pair will pay more than passing interest in how each other rides in January.

"We race our bikes to win, normally - it's fun racing against someone when they're bad and you're bad, actually," Evans said.

"So we'll probably be able to enjoy it more than at the Tour.

"If an opportunity comes, of course I'm going to take it, but realistically, I have to go for July and other races in the year."

BMC is the first team to receive a wildcard entry to the race and the main reason is so Evans can compete in the world champion's rainbow jersey.

After his poor Tour de France this year, Evans spectacularly turned his season around with third in the Tour of Spain and then the world title.

He is the first Australian to win the elite men's world road race championship.

"I had so much bad luck this year, but to ride with the rainbow jersey next year, you can't ask for much more than that," Evans said.

Evans knows he has taken a risk signing with BMC - they will also need a wildcard entry to ride in the Tour de France.

But the Australian, who left Silence-Lotto after five years, is excited at the potential of the team and determined to go one better in July.

"There aren't too many teams who can commit to a rider at the Tour de France, obviously there are five or six riders going to the Tour thinking (they) can win or at least be on the podium," he said.

"BMC, they're not a big team now, but they're growing - for me, to join a team as they're growing is an interesting project.

"They have everything in place to be a very good team and that's really what I'm looking for, the core values and philosophies.

"Maybe I will miss out on the Tour, but I think we have all the capabilities to prove we deserve a place."