TechPowered ByBikeRadar
Pro bike: Thomas Dekker's Garmin-Barracuda Cervélo S5
Aero machine for Garmin-Barracuda's latest signing
2013 SRAM Red: First Ride Review
SRAM is smoother, quieter, more powerful, more refined
Pro bike: Specialized CruX for Zdeněk Štybar
World champion goes for pink
Pro bike: Danny Hart's Giant Factory Off-Road Team Giant Glory
Take a tour of the world champion's bike
Astana's hour cometh?
Astana manager Johan Bruyneel talks to the troops before the Giro d'Italia... Will there be a similar scenario come July?
Kazakh crew faces another cash crisis
While talk has been of Astana's prospects for the Tour de France, if the team doesn't honour its financial commitments by 5pm today (European Central Time) it may not be competing at all.
According to Dutch daily De Telegraaf, the International Cycling Union (UCI) requires payment of six million euro by the deadline to ensure Astana's ProTour licence for the remainder of the season. Failing this payment, the team runs the risk of having this 'permit to race' suspended and its Tour plans thrown into jeopardy.
Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer are currently two favourites for the Tour de France podium, although the cloud of pending financial doom has lingered over the team for several months.
No comment has been made by team manager Johan Bruyneel or star riders Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer.
Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed
Related articles
Kazakhstan pays up for Astana
Federation finds $9 million to fund the team
June 11, 2009, 20:40
Astana suspends Bazayev over whereabouts
Lance Armstrong's team stops Kazakh rider
June 15, 2009, 12:21
Contador considers Armstrong and Leipheimer Tour rivals
Tour champion faces competition from within Astana team
June 15, 2009, 12:55
No payment yet for Astana
Could Armstrong take over liabilities?
June 17, 2009, 03:32
Astana says its money problems are over
Big sigh of relief for Bruyneel
June 18, 2009, 14:10
UCI backs down on Astana license
Procedure to revoke ProTour license suspended
June 23, 2009, 15:59
Related riders
Alberto Contador Velasco
Key wins
Tour de France 2007, 2009, 2010
Giro d’Italia 2008, 2011
Vuelta a España2008
Paris-Nice 2007, 2010
Spanish TT Champ 2009
UCI World Ranking 2009
Levi Leipheimer
Lance Armstrong
Lance Amstrong retired in 2011. Before that he had one of the most successful but controversial careers in professional cycling. He won 7 Tour de France from 1999 to 2005, after coming back from cancer.
Lance Armstrong retired from the sport in 2005 only to announce a comeback in 2008. He rode for Astana in 2009, finishing third in the Tour de France. The following season he again rode the Tour but failed to challenge for the yellow jersey. He made his last professional outing at the 2011 Tour Down Under.
