Report: Astana to get Giro invite.

By Agence France Presse

The Italian sports newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Saturday that Giro d’Italia organizers may be ready to do an about-face and invite the Astana team to this year’s race.

At least one team official has confirmed that the invitation has already been extended.

The team issued a statement on Sunday, confirming the invitation and that it will bring its three top riders to the event: Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer and the winner of the Tour of Romandie, Andreas Klöden.

Astana general manager Johan Bruyneel gladly accepted the invitation.

“I would like to thank RCS for reconsidering our team in the selection process,” Bruyneel said. “RCS has recognized that not inviting one of the best stage racing teams would have been a mistake and detrimental to the race and sport of cycling.”

“I am most happy for our sponsors, team and fans,” Bruyneel added. “Throughout all the political battles, our sponsors have continued to support us and our new mission for the team. The riders and staff have handled themselves in a professional manner and remained focused on winning bike races. And our loyal fans have filled the race routes cheering for us. It’s a big honor to let them know we will now race in Italy.”

The team of Tour de France winner Contador was excluded by both the Giro and the Tour earlier this year, but according to reports published on Saturday, the team may be invited to the Giro, which starts on May 10.

The Gazetta report claimed Astana’s participation would depend on the inclusion of Contador, Leipheimer and Klöden, all three of whom have finished on the Tour de France podium. Astana will bring those three as well as Assan Bazayev, Antonio Colom, Vladimir Gusev, Maxim Iglinskiy, Andrey Mizurov and Dmitriy Muravyev. Sean Yates and Alexandr Shefer will direct the squad.

Giro organizer Angelo Zomegnan, said the formal announcement will probably be made late Sunday.

“Astana remains a candidate to participate in the Giro,” Zomegnan said. “We have reserved the right to invite all teams right up till the last minute.”

Astana was officially notified of an invitation to the Vuelta a España, held in September.

The Amaury Sports Organisation, which owns and operates the Tour de France, said earlier this year that the doping scandals which plagued Astana at last year’s race had left it with little choice but to exclude the team, despite major management and roster changes.

The team’s former leader, Alexandre Vinokourov, was fired after testing positive for a blood transfusion during last year’s Tour.

Weeks after the Vinokourov controversy his fellow Kazakh Andrei Kashechkin also tested positive for blood doping. Other team riders, including Matthias Kessler and Eddy Mazzoleni, were also involved in doping affairs.

FILED UNDER: Giro d'Italia / Road