Alexandr Vinokourov, manager of XDS Astana, emphasized the team's need to maintain its WorldTour status for sustained financial backing from its new sponsor, XDS. Currently positioned 21st in the UCI rankings, the team is striving to improve its standings through strategic signings. Vinokourov expressed optimism about new additions like Wout Poels and Sergio Higuita, even as previous attempts to secure riders like Juan Ayuso and Aleksandr Vlasov fell through. He candidly assessed the previous season as largely unsuccessful, citing only Mark Cavendish's milestone win as a highlight.
"Our survival depends on staying in the WorldTour - something that as current standings go remains very much in the balance, with XDS Astana in 21st place in the UCI rankings."
"I tried to convince Mauro Gianetti to let me buy out Juan Ayuso; we'd have liked to have had him, but without his management's agreement, that wasn't possible."
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