Astana renews with Dmitriy Gruzdev
"I am very happy to extend my contract for another year. I passed this season not in the way I'd like to do it due some health problems. Now, everything is going well, so, I hope the upcoming season will be much better. My main goal is the team's success and I am ready to give my all to help Astana to reach the biggest results. Surely, I'd like to find a few races, which could suit me, to try to fight for a personal result too," said Dmitriy Gruzdev.
Dmitriy Gruzdev (32) is spending his 7th full season with Astana Pro Team, being one of the most experienced Kazakh riders in the UCI WorldTour. Having some strong abilities in the time trial races, Gruzdev won the individual time trial for three times at the Kazakhstan National Championships and twice at the Asian Cycling Championships. In 2012 he was 6th in the ITT at the UCI Road World Championships.
This season Gruzdev helped Jakob Fuglsang to finish on the final podium of the Tour de Suisse and started the Tour de France (he was forced to quit the race after 12 stages).
Dmitriy had a quite difficult season, because he suffered from some health problems. But, he is still an important part of the team's strategy both, at the classics and stage races. I believe, everything will come to a good in the next season and Gruzdev will be able to pass it on the highest level, - said general manager Alexandr Vinokurov.