🎥 Astana’s hilarious new season video rap — Vinokourov and riders bring the laughs again

XDS Astana might not always seem the most accessible team in the WorldTour on paper, but the tradition of kicking off each season with an over-the-top music video was checked off again for 2026. The men of Alexandre Vinokourov’s squad were spotted on Tuesday in a brand-new production, once again stepping into the spotlight with musical flair.

The idea of a team rap video dates back to 2019, when Laurens De Vreese was the driving force behind a rap that had the cycling world laughing. Completely over-the-top with hoodies, caps, unzipped jackets and rap verses, the usually stoic Astana suddenly showed a creative and hilarious side.

Three years ago the team followed up with a sequel to the successful 2019 rap, this time in their distinctive light-blue kit. That we saw Vincenzo Nibali and Alexey Lutsenko both singing and rapping is something no one can take away from us. The catchy refrain “We only pedal for golden medals, we work to win — Astana is my team” stuck in fans’ heads.

For the 2026 edition, an electric guitar was brought out of the closet. “What a year, the team is secured,” we see Vinokourov start, referring to a 2025 full of wins and UCI points that secured their place among the top 18 WorldTour teams. With that, the Kazakh outfit is guaranteed a WorldTour license for another three seasons.

We see the return of Italians Christian Scaroni (whom we spoke to extensively ahead of 2026!), Alberto Bettiol and Davide Ballerini, but also Nicolas Vinokurov, Aaron Gate, Vasilis Anastopoulos, Nicola Conci, Matteo Malucelli and Lorenzo Fortunato all contribute to the new video. “We are one team chasing one goal. We go for the top, with one soul,” the ambitious words go.

“Are we running out of steam? No, we are strong!” Well, go see for yourself.