The Astana Qazaqstan is organizing its roster for 2025 by signing the 22-year-old Colombian Santiago Umba and the 25-year-old Kazakh Daniil Marukhin with the Astana Qazaqstan Development Team.
"Santiago is still a very young rider and the 2024 season was challenging for him. At 21, he participated in several WorldTour races and gained invaluable experience, including completing La Vuelta. However, the transition might have been too rapid for him, and he needs to take a step back to ensure consistent growth in the future. Next season, our Continental team will offer him this opportunity. For Daniil, 2024 was also difficult, especially due to lack of experience at this high level. Nevertheless, he proved to be a reliable domestique in several races. After discussing with him and our technical staff, we decided that a season with the Continental squad will help him avoid unnecessary stress, increase his self-confidence, and show his true potential. In any case, both Santiago and Daniil will actively participate in races with our main team, gradually finding their rhythm and gaining experience without excessive pressure," stated Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager of the Astana Qazaqstan Team.