Colombian Sebastián Henao (28 years old) and Italian Leonardo Basso (27) sign with Astana for a year the first and two the second.
Henao, a professional since 2014, has raced the Giro d’Italia five times. Third place on the Tour of Langkawi (2015), fifth place in the general classification of Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali (2016), sixth place in the Arctic Race of Norway (2016) and eighth place in the Vuelta a Burgos (2018) and Vuelta al Algarve (2021) are some of his best results.
“It is a new step for me, a change that I am looking for to continue improving as a cyclist. I believe that Astana is the team that can adapt perfectly to me. and I will try to do everything possible to achieve the best possible results together, “Henao said in remarks submitted by his new team.
Basso, a professional since 2018, is a specialist in one-day races, of which he has played sixty in the last four years.
“Astana is one of the oldest and largest teams on the World Tour, so it is a pleasure to join this team. and I will do my best to help the team achieve its goals, “said Basso.
“We are looking for reinforcements in our team for both the Grand Tours and the Classics, and I believe that these two cyclists can fit us in the best way. We know Sebastián Henao as a good helper, With a lot of experience in the Grand Tours and stage races, so he can play an important role for our leaders. What’s more, Leonardo Basso in just a few years has gained a good experience in the northern classics “, noted Alexandr Vinokourov sports manager of the Kazakh squad.