Astana Pro Team

Astana Pro Team (UCI team code: AST) is a professional road bicycle racing team sponsored by the Samruk-Kazyna, a coalition of state-owned companies from Kazakhstan and named after its capital city Astana. Astana attained UCI ProTeam status in its inaugural year, 2007. Following a major doping scandal involving Kazakhstani rider Alexander Vinokourov, team management was terminated and new management brought in for the 2008 season. The team was then managed by Johan Bruyneel, former team manager of U.S. Postal/Discovery Channel team. Under Bruyneel the ethical nature of the team did not improve, although Astana in this period was very successful. With a lineup including Grand Tour winner Alberto Contador, as well as runner-up Andreas Klöden the results were there, however the team was on the verge of financial collapse in May 2009. A battle for control of the team led to the return of Vinokourov for the 2009 Vuelta a España caused Bruyneel and at least fourteen of its riders to leave at the end of the 2009 season, most for Team RadioShack. Only four Spanish riders, including Contador, and most of the Kazakhs remained with the rebuilt team for 2010. Those four Spaniards all left the team for Saxo Bank–SunGard in 2011.

Astana

Astana (/əsˈtɑːnə/,US /æsˈtɑːnə/;Kazakh: Астана [astaˈna]) is the capital of Kazakhstan. It is located on the Ishim River in the north portion of Kazakhstan, within Akmola Region, though administrated separately from the region as a city with special status. The 2014 census reported a population of 835,153 within the city, making it the second-largest city in Kazakhstan.

Founded in 1830 as the settlement of Akmoly (Kazakh: Ақмолы) or Akmolinsky prikaz (Russian: Акмолинский приказ), it served as a defensive fortification for the Siberian Cossacks. In 1832, the settlement was granted a town status and renamed Akmolinsk (Russian: Акмолинск). On 20 March 1961, the city was renamed to Tselinograd (Russian: Целиноград) to mark the city's evolution as a cultural and administrative centre of the Virgin Lands Campaign. In 1992, it was renamed Akmola (Kazakh: Ақмола), the modified original name meaning "a white grave". On 10 December 1997, Akmola replaced Almaty to become the capital of Kazakhstan. On 6 May 1998, it was renamed Astana, which means "the capital" in Kazakh.

Astana (disambiguation)

Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan.

Astana may also refer to:

Astana (radio)

Radio "Astana" is a news and music station that started broadcasting from Astana, Kazakhstan in January 19, 1999 at 101.4 FM. On October 1, 2012, the station started broadcasting from new media center "Qazmediaortalygy" in Astana. The radio station is a part of "Kazakhstan" corporation.

History

Radio "Astana" started broadcasting from Astana, Kazakhstan in January 19, 1999 at 101.4 FM. The radio station operates under the motto "With love in every home".

Starting from February 1, 2003, the radio station uses modern digital equipment.

Broadcast policy

Radio "Astana" is one of the first radio stations in Kazakhstan to broadcast professional club music in late hours.

Duringthe daytime the radio station broadcasts popular music of artists of Kazakhstan, including old recordings of Kazakh folk music from state archives.

Broadcast methods

Radio "Astana" broadcasts on 101.4 FM frequency. Broadcasts are also available on the Internet and via satellite.

Audience

Daily audience of radio stations in Astana and the area is about 475 thousand people. Potential audience of listeners is about 1 million people.