The Astana Kazakstan team announced that it has signed Dutchman Wout Poels to a one-year contract for the 2025 season. Poels will join Alexandre Vinokurov's team after five seasons in Bahrain.

A stage winner of the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, as well as several other stage races, Poels, when not working as team leader, has won the Vuelta a Andalucía, Volta a la Comunidad Valenciana, and He is a climbing specialist, having won the overall at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2016.

“I am excited about moving to the Astana Cazacustan team,” Poels said. 'This team has been in the professional peloton for many years and has an impressive list of victories.' [Next year], I want to reach my full potential. I want to win a stage at the Giro d'Italia and join the list of riders who have won stages in all three Grand Tours.

“But of course, the team's interests come first. I am looking forward to the moment when I can join the team.” The Astana Kazakstan team already has Dutch riders Cees Boll and Ide Schelling. We want to finish the season in the best possible way and start the New Year at 100%.”

Astana has reportedly received funding from the Chinese company XDS Carbontech and will be looking for riders who can earn UCI points and help the team rise from the bottom of the UCI rankings. Their ranking will threaten their WorldTour status at the next promotion/relegation in 2026.

“In Wout Poels we have a very experienced and strong rider who can support the other riders and contribute to the team strategy from the race as captain, while at the same time fighting for wins and podiums in both stage races and classics,” Vinokurov Vinokurov said.

“For the Astana Kazakstan team, this is a strong reinforcement for the mountain races and the week-long stage races. Our team believes that it will be a great opportunity for Wout Poels to prove himself and achieve the goals set by himself and the team."

Poels joins Alberto Bettiol (EF Education Easy Post), whose contract was announced on March 15.