Astana’s License Still In Jeopardy?

November 24th, 2009 by Ron Callahan 494 views No Comment

It seems that the $22 million dollars pledged by Kazahk-based Samruk-Kazyna multinational to Astana is not enough for the UCI. Recent reports seem to indicate that the UCI wants the team to have proof of the money in the bank before they will grant Astana their pro tour license. They have given team management until Wednesday to make the arrangements, but theysay that it will be very difficult to arrange. The team had already missed another new requirement, an October 20 deadline to supply the UCI’s license commission with relevant financial and management documents.

Astana had great difficulty paying their racers last year, leading Lance Armstrong and other members of the team to wear nearly blank jerseys during May’s Giro d’Italia.

In related news, the vice chairman of Kazahkstan’s cycling federation accused Johan Bruyneel of working behind the scenes to make Astana lose its Pro Tour license. Nikolai Proskurin says that Bruyneel told him that “he would do anything” to make sure that Astana lost their license. Bruyneel denied the charges, saying that he wants to see as many top levels team as possible, of which Astana is one.