After five unforgettable years, Wilier Triestina and Astana Qazaqstan Team will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. This journey, full of iconic victories, has elevated both brands in cycling.
In a heartfelt letter, the Gastaldello family celebrates the memories and successes shared with Astana Qazaqstan Team as they look ahead to 2025 season.
It’s hard to think of another partnership in recent memory that has lasted as long as this one. In 2020, we signed a sponsorship agreement with a shared, strong, and ambitious vision: to reach the pinnacle of international cycling.
The partnership was strategically important to us. Returning Wilier Triestina to the World Tour was about showcasing our brand's quality, innovation, and cutting-edge technology to drive company growth and enhance our global reputation.
Our partnership has not only yielded numerous sporting victories but has also driven significant growth in our business through the development of innovative, high-end road products. Clear evidence that our sports marketing strategies have significantly boosted our company's overall performance.
Our partnership has seen us conquer podiums at the world's most prestigious cycling events, achieving extraordinary results and creating unforgettable moments with the Kazakh team in cycling history.
This result of this achievement has not only added to our impressive list of victories but has also fuelled the development of some of our most successful products, the Filante SLR first and foremost, a best-selling bike that's both a sales hit and a technological marvel. The synergy which was established between our Innovation Lab and the Astana Qazaqstan Team's technical experts was instrumental in making this happen.
Returning to the World Tour circuit in 2020 was a winning choice: watching our Wilier 0 SLR dominate the Grand Tours and Monument Classics has been incredibly rewarding. We will never get used to seeing a rider on a Wilier bike crossing the finish line first. It's something unique, that makes us incredibly proud.
Epic victories like Jakob Fuglsang's in Il Lombardia 2020, where he launched his winning attack on the climb of San Fermo della Battaglia. The extraordinary victories of Alexey Lutsenko and Miguel "Superman" Ángel López at the Tour de France, of Ion Izagirre at the Vuelta a España, or of Mark Cavendish in the last stage in Rome, at the 2023 Giro.
There have been countless thrilling moments, beyond the victories. For instance, the final kilometres of the Giro d'Italia with Vincenzo Nibali being cheered on by a massive crowd, riding his iconic Wilier 0 SLR.
Remember when Michele (Gastaldello) unveiled the Filante SLR to the team at the 2020 Livigno training camp? Alexey Lutsenko tested it on the occasion and was instantly smitten. He was so eager to race it that he wanted to take it straight to the Tour, which was just weeks away. That’s when we realised it was destined to be a hit. There were also more personal memories, such as our team trip to Astana and the incredible hospitality we experienced at the Sports Arena in 2021.
Five years of partnership have taken us on an intense journey, marked by over 40 victories, steep climbs, downhill thrills, triumphs, and obstacles we have overcome together. Teamwork was the driving force behind our successful collaboration. Stage after stage, challenge after challenge, we worked together to achieve one of the greatest feats in cycling history: Mark Cavendish's 35 Tour de France victories. This accomplishment is the culmination of five years of intense collaboration, where one person's dream became everyone's triumph.
We want to express our sincere gratitude for this accomplishment and for everything we've achieved together over the past five years. A big thank you to Vinokurov, to the athletes we've connected with, and to the entire staff at Astanza Qazaqstan.
The decision to discontinue the collaboration with Astana Qazaqstan Team, matured during the first part of 2024, is the result of a well-defined corporate strategy. As of 2025, we will be exclusively partnering with Groupama – FDJ at the World Tour level, a relationship we've been building and strengthening over the past few months. Our clear and ambitious goal is to establish the team as a consistent top-ten contender globally, while continuing to push the boundaries of innovation and develop cutting-edge products in close contact with professionals, as exemplified by our work on the Supersonica SLR this year.
We invite all fans to join us on the roads of the most important World Tour competitions to be part of the epic journey and create unforgettable memories. We're grateful for your continued support and the enthusiasm you always bring. We can't wait to meet you along the way, to continue this extraordinary journey together.
Andrea, Enrico, Michele Gastaldello