The XDS Astana team confirmed the demotion of Gleb Syritsa to the team's development squad for 2025 but have yet to officially announce the arrival of Chinese rider Su Haoyu, as revealed by Global Peloton.
The team also extended the contract of Anton Kuzmin through 2025.
It's not the first time the team has made a late decision to ditch an existing rider to make room for a signing. In 2023, the team let Artyom Zakharov go to open the door to signing Mark Cavendish and Cees Bol.
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The signing of Su is likely related to the arrival of the team's new investor, the Chinese bicycle maker XDS.
While Syritsa was a solid sprinter and has four stage wins in the Tour de Langkawi to his name, the team's prime objective for the season is salvaging their place in the WorldTour, which is currently threatened as the team have failed to stay in the top 18 of the UCI Team Rankings.
"It's no secret that the team's main goal in 2025 is to secure enough ranking points to retain the WorldTour license," manager Alexandre Vinokourov said in the team's press release.
"To strengthen the team, we've made significant changes to the roster and brought in several specialists to help push the team toward achieving better results.
"Additionally, during our December training camp, we conducted individual meetings with each rider to refine their race calendars and set goals for the season. As a result, Gleb Syritsa will move to our Continental team. This decision aligns with the interests of both the team and the rider. "
UCI rules allow teams to call up riders from their development squads to compete with the WorldTour team, and Vinokourov suggested Syritsa will have opportunities to do so.
"For the team, it's crucial that Gleb fully dedicates himself to team objectives in races where he's selected for the main squad. For Gleb, it's important to have the chance to pursue his own ambitions, which he will have with the Development team.
"In a points-focused strategy, some riders will need to set aside their personal ambitions in the next season. However, if there's a way to both support the team and seize opportunities for personal growth, why not take it? I believe this is the optimal solution for both the team and the young rider."
"We primarily see him as a reliable domestique in WorldTour races. He proved himself as a solid team player in 2024, earning respect for his dedication and loyalty in every race," Vinokourov said.
"His new contract with XDS Astana Team and his place in the main squad will allow us to use him strategically in the UCI WorldTour calendar, where the majority of ranking points are contested."
The signing of Su is expected to be announced later this week as the final rider of the 30-man squad.
