Inside Astana’s strategic game to save their WorldTour spot

With the Ardennes Classics about to kick off, some big calendar targets are coming into focus. But for teams stuck near the bottom of the UCI Team Ranking, Amstel Gold, Flèche Wallonne and Liège Bastogne Liège are far from the only races that matter. Stage races at 2.1 and 2.Pro level, along with one-day events outside the WorldTour, have become vital opportunities to stockpile UCI points, and Astana is leaning heavily into that strategy.

The Kazakh squad has cashed in at previously irrelevant races like the Tour of Hellas, Tour of Hainan and Tour des Alpes Maritimes. According to Schelling, Astana is even sending some of its top riders to these events. "It is a complicated situation," he says. 'Astana wants to send strong guys to smaller races to scoop up as many points as possible. It is a strategic game, and we are at the point now where not everyone can even get a start in those races.'

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Naturally, team boss Alexandre Vinokourov still hopes for top results in the biggest races. But more than anything, the team needs to score across the board. "I had never seen anything like this," laughs Schelling. "When I turned pro, I didn’t even know UCI points existed. Now I get a tailored race program and you just make the most of it."

One of the main point collectors in the opening three months of the season has been Christian Scaroni. The Italian says his results were partly down to a new training approach. “We switched things up a bit last winter with my coach, putting more focus on one-day races,” he explains. “Astana needs to rack up UCI points to keep that WorldTour license.”

Poels just shrugged. “I did not really change much, I mostly kept doing what I was already doing last year.” Schelling agrees, but points to a shift in the atmosphere. “Quite a few staff members have changed and while some key things are still the same, you can see a lot has changed in the details. Things run a lot smoother and everything feels just a bit more serious.”

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“I find it hard to pinpoint exactly why we’re doing so well this season,” says Schelling. “The team dynamic is great, and that makes a big difference.” Poels agrees. “They’re all good guys, and luckily all the Italians speak English. I barely get past ‘ciao’ or ‘pizza,’” he laughs. “Things are really good at Astana. I felt welcome from the start. Everyone’s super friendly and I feel right at home. The vibe is great.”

Poels made the switch from Bahrain Victorious over the winter, while Schelling already rode for Astana in 2024. And while there is constant focus on UCI points, Poels believes performance always comes down to the rider. “I have a new coach, so my training sessions are a bit different, but nothing too crazy. In the end, it’s just about getting into shape and smashing it.”

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])