Cees Bol renews with Astana Qazaqstan Team for two more years
Astana Qazaqstan Team opens its transfer campaign with extension agreement with the Dutch rider Cees Bol (28), who is spending his debut season with the Kazakh team. By the new agreement signed with the rider, Cees Bol will spend in Astana two more seasons (2024 and 2025).
“Last year I had a strange winter and I joined Astana Qazaqstan Team in the very last moment. However, immediately from the moment I joined Astana I felt very well. We started working together in a great way and I found here a great group of riders and staff and a very nice atmosphere. The season so far has been really good for me, I felt like I am in the right place inside the team. I’ve got a good racing calendar and I was also happy with the opportunities I’ve got during the season. Looks like the team was also happy with me, so we’ve got a new agreement quite easy. To me it is a great new possibility to stay in Astana Qazaqstan Team for two more seasons, to continue working together pursuing more good results. During 2023 I had some nice podiums and placements, but I hope the wins will come too. I am sure in this team I can achieve something important”, – said Cees Bol.
Joining Astana Qazaqstan Team in the beginning of January, very shortly Cees Bol proved himself as a strong sprinter and lead-out man. Cees got two stage podiums in the Saudi Tour, his first race for Astana Qazaqstan Team. Later in the season he finished 3rd in the General Classification of the Four Days of Dunkerque, was 5th in the overall standings of the ZLM Tour and in the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris. Besides, Cees Bol worked well as a lead-out man for Mark Cavendish, helping him to reach the podiums in the Scheldeprijs, in a stage of the UAE Tour and a stage of the Tour de France.
“That’s true that Cees joined our team in the very last moment, already in January, but it did not affect his season in Astana as Cees proved to be a very strong and professional rider. He missed a victory so far, but I am sure he can achieve it in the next races this year and in the following two years in our team. There is not a secret that sprint is quite a new cycling area for us, but this year we proved we can be successful in sprint competing against the best sprinter teams in the world. We are ready to improve in sprint and Cees is ready to be a good part of this improvement. I am happy he is staying with us, and I am sure in the next two years together we can achieve many good things”, – said Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of Astana Qazaqstan Team.
Photo credit: @SprintCycling