ASTANA—Kazakhstan’s prominent cyclist Alexandr Vinokurov advocates for nurturing local talent within the professional cycling scene while managing the challenges of sustaining the Astana Qazaqstan Team, which is composed of international cyclists. In an interview with The Astana Times, Vinokurov, the winner of the 2006 Vuelta a España and 2012 Olympic champion in the group race, offered an honest assessment of the team and shared his ambitions for the development of Kazakh cycling.
The goodwill ambassador
Alexandr Vinokurov. Photo provided by the interviewee.
Vinokurov reached the pinnacle of his sport in 2012 when he became the first Kazakh to win the Olympic gold in the group race in London. His sporting success led to his role as general manager of the Astana Qazaqstan Team, which secured eight grand tour victories from 2006 to 2016.
Later this year, Vinokurov was honored as Kazakhstan’s Goodwill Ambassador, a recognition given to individuals who have made significant contributions to enhancing Kazakhstan’s image abroad.
“When I was offered this role, I was genuinely pleased,” said Vinokurov. He said promoting Kazakhstan has been a central focus of his team for many years, and that commitment has remained unchanged.
“Our team’s results serve as a longstanding showcase of our country. Even after becoming a goodwill ambassador, I continue to focus on this aspect. Whenever there is a task, I am committed to fulfilling it to the best of my ability,” he said.
The cyclist has also previously spoken against domestic violence.
Astana Qazaqstan Team – challenges and ambitions
The latest season’s achievements of the Astana Qazaqstan Team pale in comparison to what was a decade ago. Following a period of less impressive results from the team, Vinokurov said that individual cyclists are still achieving remarkable results. He highlighted 24-year-old Kazakh cyclist Yevgeniy Fedorov, who won both the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Road World Championships and the Asian Summer Games in 2022.
Regarding the team’s results, Vinokurov revealed that the financial demands of training and maintaining a professional cycling team had taken their toll.
The Head of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with the general manager of the Astana Kazakhstan Team World Tour team, Vice-President of the Cycling Federation of Kazakhstan, Olympic champion Alexander Vinokurov. Photo credit: astana-qazaqstan.com
“If we take the Astana Team as a whole, we went down in achievements. This depends on many factors, one of them being the team’s budget, which, unfortunately, in recent years, dropped lower and lower. It is hard to compete when our rivals have much larger budgets,” said Vinokurov.
“In recent years, it has been my task to find an investor who could either buy part of the license or join the team as a sponsor. If successful, this will increase the team level to much higher, allowing us to bring in cyclists capable of earning points and securing victories. It is impossible to succeed in professional sports without involving international sportsmen,” he added.
The team is a work in progress. The long-term target is to train the next generation of cyclists from local talents.
“The head of state recently emphasized the need to reduce our reliance on foreign players, and I fully agree. I have a plan to address this. We can transition to a team composed entirely of Kazakh athletes, but this would require us to step down from the top league to the second league. In doing so, we would significantly reduce our budget and ease the financial burden, which could also help us avoid potential criticism,” he said.
How to develop the Kazakh cycling sport?
Changing things in Kazakh cycling is not easy, but Vinokurov sees some opportunities to develop local talent.
“First and foremost, we need to carry out work in the regions, conducting thorough assessments of how many athletes are there and who is coaching them. It seems to me that many of the current coaches are older, possibly in their 60s or even 70s. Unfortunately, most of the younger coaches are concentrated in central areas like Astana and Almaty, while the regions may be lacking,” said Vinokurov.
“There is a need to explore underrepresented villages and regions—this kind of work isn’t being done enough today. By doing this, we can build a stronger talent pool and make plans for the future. But it all starts with a detailed regional analysis to check the statistics and understand the availability of coaches and athletes,” he added.
Alexander Vinokurov won gold medal in the male 50-54 category at the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship 2023 in Nice on Sept. 10 Photo credit: Photo credit: Astana Qazaqstan Team.
Vinokurov also suggests establishing a cycling club system where young cyclists can follow in the footsteps of senior riders and compete in various international and local tournaments.
“Also, we could establish a club system similar to the one that has been successfully operating in Petropavlovsk, in northern Kazakhstan, for the past five to six years. In this system, each club is given responsibility for its athletes. There is a senior division, and there are juniors. The club participates in both international and national competitions, including the Kazakh championships,” he said.
“If we could implement such club systems in at least ten regions, it would encourage young athletes to strive to join these clubs. With modest stipends, the competition within clubs would foster talent development. This setup would also facilitate the selection of athletes for Kazakhstan’s national team or create a top-level national club that could compete at higher levels in Asia or Europe,” added Vinokurov.
Innovation in training
Vinokurov began working for the Astana Qazaqstan Team in 2012. Since then, he has consistently sought the best training practices to help team members succeed in professional cycling.
“It is essential to integrate sports medicine and nutrition into our training. We have already been using these, and next year, we are planning to bring in mental coaches—psychologists who might seem unnecessary at first, but after just one or two sessions, the athletes are eager to complete the full course,” said Vinokurov.
“Sports are constantly evolving, and sports medicine is advancing along. Nutrition is also crucial, especially in cycling. Over the past three to four years, we have seen how sportspeople monitor their diet, calorie intake, and energy expenditure. It is clear that we need to elevate our training approach and get away from outdated practices,” he added.
Vinokurov attributes success in cycling to integrating the best innovative practices in this high-paced sport.
“At least in cycling, the speeds are growing. There might be faster bikes and better tires, but it is definitely also linked to young athletes paying more attention to their diets, eating right, and following rigorous training programs. It is the combination of all these factors that drives the impressive results we’re seeing,” he said.
Family and personal goals
Vinokurov’s two sons, Nicolas and Alexander, follow in their father’s footsteps in professional cycling. They debuted in professional sports in 2022 and compete against the finest cyclists in the junior category. In June, Nicolas Vinokurov became the Asian champion in the under-23 men’s race.
“At first, of course, you give advice, but for me, as a father, there was never a task to make my sons Asian champions. Everything was at their own will. I created the necessary conditions, and they put in the work,” said Vinokurov, reflecting on his approach to his sons’ achievements.
Nicolas Vinokurov is soon going to the Vuelta cycling race in Spain. “He is participating in this cycling race for the first time. It is a very difficult cycling race. Vuelta in Spain is very mountainous, but they are learning to push through, growing, and gaining experience,” said Vinokurov.
“While Alexander, after injuring his collarbone at the Kazakhstan championship, underwent a successful operation in Kazakhstan. Cycling is, unfortunately, a sport prone to injuries. But he will soon be back on track, preparing to return to competitions in early September,” he said.
As for personal goals in sports, Vinokurov said he has no plans for the coming year.
“Last year, I won two gold medals in sports. So, this year, I did not set such goals. There is no time, unfortunately. But I try to stay active and keep myself in shape. It is always important to make time for sports and stay physically active,” he said.
Vinokurov has undoubtedly earned a rest. Last year, he came first in the 50-54 age category at the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, and won another gold at the Ironman World Championship in Nice, France.
