Astana・Kazakstan management is nervous about reports of an offer by a Chinese businessman to buy a team and invest a significant amount of money in 1 year to make it one of the Peloton's top 5 teams.

According to the report of L'Équipe, the long-time Kazakh team has received an offer to purchase the final year of the World tour license in 2025. 

When contacted by Cyclingnews to ask about a potential deal, team Manager Alexander Vinokourov responded with a categorical "No comment.

He claimed to be in Kazakhstan, but another source suggested he was in China. 

Astana Qazaqstan is gearing up for the 2024 Tour de France and the team is bidding for a record 35th stage victory, with British sprinter Mark Cavendish at the centre. Cavendish will be joining the Tour de Switzerland starting on Sunday.

According to L'Équipe, out of the team's current 2025 29 riders who have terminated their contract in 18 years, "it could lead to a significant overhaul of the team.""

The French newspaper also reported that any acquisition could lead to a doubling of the team's budget, becoming a sports super team alongside the UAE team Emirates, Visma-Lease A Bike, Lidl-Trek and Ineos Grenadiers Astana has faced financial difficulties and budget cuts in recent years and will be relegated from the world tour at the end of 2025. Face the battle of ranking points to avoid. Since becoming title sponsor in 2006, Astana has been one of the longest-running teams on the world Tour, winning the 2014 Tour de France with Vincenzo Nibali and Alberto Contador in 2009.

The Globalpeloton report cited unnamed sources saying that initial contacts had been established about the possibility of a secondary sponsorship deal between Astana-Kazakhstan and Chinese bicycle company Pardus. However, according to the same source, these negotiations had not been successful due to the request for large sums of money and bicycles in exchange for a place for a world tour.

The China Glory-Mentech Continental team was created to help nurture Chinese riders, but the investment in Astana Qazaqstan will surely see big-name riders leading the team.

Nothing has been confirmed, but on a recent state visit to the Pyrenees by Chinese President Xi Jinping, he was presented with the Tour de France Leader's jersey by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.