Czech cyclist Kreuziger leaves Liquigas team for Astana

The Czech cycling star Roman Kreuziger is joining Kazakhstan’s Astana team after five years as part of the Italian Liquigas stable. Astana is believed to have a budget about three times that of Liquigas, but Kreuziger denied he was making the move for financial reasons; the 24-year-old said the main motivation was the chance to work with new people, including the rider Alexandre Vinokourov. The Czech, who turned professional in 2006, has won the Tour of Switzerland, the Tour of Romandy and the Tour of Sardinia. He has finished ninth in the Tour de France for the last two years in a row.

Author: Ian Willoughby