Mark Cavendish and Cees Bol have been noticed in Spain as they hyperlink up with the Astana Qazaqstan crew, who’re anticipated to announce the signings of the pair imminently.
Astana’s method for Mark Cavendish was first reported by Cyclingnews final week and adopted up by studies that an settlement had been struck in a deal that features Bol, who had additionally been set to signal for the B&B Resorts crew.
Now, Cavendish and Bol are each in Altea, in southeast Spain, with eye-witness studies linking each riders to the Astana camp. Cyclingnews understands that every little thing is in place for the riders to place pen to paper and be part of the crew on their pre-season preparations.
Spanish web site Ciclo 21 reported (opens in new tab) that Cavendish was at Astana’s lodge in Altea, the place they’ve been holding their coaching camp, on Tuesday.
Cavendish was additionally apparently noticed out driving on what gave the impression to be a Wilier bike utilized by the Astana crew. Footage shot from the on-bike digicam (opens in new tab) of a passing rider appeared to point out the 34-time Tour de France stage winner in his British champion’s version QuickStep-AlphaVinyl package, aboard the Wilier bike in Astana colors.
As for Bol, the Dutch sprinter has already logged a coaching journey in southeast Spain on his Strava account. His file exhibits that he was on a number of the space’s climbs at comparable instances to Astana’s present riders.
Cavendish and Bol had been each left scrambling for groups after the demise of the B&B Resorts crew, whose bold undertaking has fallen by way of as a result of lack of sponsorship.
Cavendish had been anticipated to be the French crew’s marquee signing, attracting main sponsors with the prospect of outright breaking the Tour de France stage win report subsequent summer time. Bol, in the meantime, was anticipated to maneuver from DSM as a second sprinter and potential lead-out practice part.
For the reason that crew fell by way of, choices for Cavendish appeared skinny on the bottom however Astana’s dismissal of Miguel Angel Lopez opened an area on the roster and within the finances. The Manxman and Bol share an agent, and it seems they’ve been packaged collectively. Already up in opposition to the UCI most restrict of riders, Astana are reportedly set to drop one in every of their Kazakh children right down to their growth crew to make room.
“I gave him a telephone name saying if he was free then we might discuss. It is true he is what? 35 or 36? [37 – Ed.] however what actually issues is that if he is motivated. I received the Olympic Video games once I was nearing 40,” Astana supervisor Alexandre Vinokourov advised Cyclingnews.
“Astana have by no means had a extremely massive sprinter. We have at all times focussed on the stage races, not a lot on that.”
🤔🇰🇿🤔🇰🇿🤔Mark Cavendish will in all probability go to Astana as a result of he is driving Wilier’s bike.🙆♀️🇪🇸🙆♀️🇪🇸🙆♀️ pic.twitter.com/f4AvhFpfPCDecember 19, 2022
