Earthquake at Astana: XDS considering ending its contract and switching teams

The future of XDS Astana could take an unexpected turn. The Chinese bicycle manufacturer is reportedly considering ending its sponsorship of the Kazakh team after just two seasons, despite having an agreement that was initially supposed to last until the end of 2029. A potential breakup that comes at one of the best sporting moments for the structure led by Alexander Vinokourov.

The return of Yana Seel could be behind the conflict

The information comes from the French newspaper L'Équipe, which points to a growing discontent from the Asian manufacturer with certain changes in the team's management. The situation has reportedly reached the point where XDS is considering shifting its investment to another team in the professional peloton for 2027.

Doubts about XDS's continuity coincide with the return of Yana Seel to the general management of Astana last October. The Belgian executive of Kazakh origin had previously held that position between 2019 and 2021, a period marked by internal disagreements about the future and management of the structure.

Her reintegration has led to a new distribution of responsibilities. Seel has primarily taken on financial, commercial, and sponsorship management, while Vinokourov maintains a prominent role in sports management.

RECOMENDADO

Avoiding Pogacar, Chinese bikes, or improving nutrition: some keys to how XDS-Astana has moved out of the relegation zone

"You can die from a heat stroke": the doctor from Astana warns about the symptoms and why cyclists do not detect them

Pidcock’s team could reach the WorldTour ahead of schedule as it eyes a possible license for next year

Ventum confirms its first mountain bike and goes straight for 32-inch wheels

“My family keeps telling me to go back to mountain biking”: Milan Vader is looking for a team for 2027

Van Aert will need to race at least four World Cup events if he wants to contend for the rainbow jersey

According to L'Équipe, some of the decisions made after her arrival may have generated tensions that are not being well received by XDS. However, the specific reasons for the possible disagreement are still unclear.

Interestingly, Seel herself had tried to dispel any suspicion of conflict during an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws at the end of October.

"I haven't returned to Astana to fight with Vino, but to work with him and achieve good results", the executive stated at that time.

A sponsorship that transformed the team and brought Chinese bicycles to the WorldTour

The possible separation is particularly striking due to the weight that XDS has had in the sporting recovery of Astana.

The agreement was announced during the 2024 Tour de France and contemplated a collaboration of at least five years starting in 2025. The arrival of the Chinese manufacturer significantly strengthened the budget of a team that was going through a complicated situation in the UCI ranking and whose permanence in the WorldTour was threatened.

XDS also replaced Wilier as the bicycle supplier, introducing its X-LAB brand into the top tier of cycling. A bet that was not limited to competition, as shortly after, the X-LAB AD9 used by Astana, a bike that stood out for its price compared to other WorldTour models, hit the market.

Since then, the results have accompanied the investment. Astana finished 2025 in fourth place in the world team ranking and closed 2026 in sixth, consolidating a recovery that seemed unthinkable.