God Almighty - can you imagine this...

[yenrod]

In the U.K. (shelving overseas aid etc.. - to pay for it)

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/08062009/58/kazakh-government-sponsors-astana.html

'The question of financing has been settled as of today. I think we need to help sponsor this team because it represents our country's prestige. It is one of the criteria that helps us attract tourists.'

Why dont they put the riders in mankinis

 

[Keith Oates]

Good news for the riders, the other team members and cycling in general. Let's hope it can last for a few years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[andy_wrx]

No it's not as simple as that.

It's bad news for Armstrong & Bruyneel's attempt to shoe-horn out the Kazakhs and take-over the team to get its ProTour licence.

Like the man says

"Americans and Europeans are trying to buy this team. It's easy to sell but we must do everything to save it."

The team was formed around Vinokourov, as a Kazakh national pride thing, but then of course his doping was exposed and he was banned, ASO banned the whole team from the Tour, the door opened and Bruyneel and Armstrong came in.

Apart from the effect on Kazakh mining and oil revenues of the global recession, these sponsor troubles are because the Kazakhs are understandably less keen on pushing their sponsor money into what has become Team Armstrong rather than Team Kazakhstan

The team has Kazakh cyclists on the roster, but they don't get to ride in the bigger events, all the publicity is about Lance Armstrong and nothing about Kazakhstan.

But with this, it looks like they've decided to hold onto their team.
If Vino comes back like he says he's going to and they tell Bruyneel to reinstate him as team leader, things will get interesting...