When Steve Bauer was looking for a new job, he turned to one of his former riders, Hugo Houle; in 2010 and 2011, when Bauer was directing the Canadian SpiderTech team and Houle was starting his life as a professional rider, the two worked together as team boss and They had worked together as riders.

Now a longtime member of the Astana team, Houle was able to point Bauer in the right direction, and after discussions with the team's management, Bauer was welcomed into the 2021 Kazakh team as sport director.

The team will also have a Canadian sponsor starting next season, with Premier Tech joining as a second title sponsor. With Bauer, Houle, and newcomer Ben Perry from the Israel Cycling Academy, the 2021 team will have a more Canadian flavor.

"I was interested in joining the team, so I was contacting different teams. One day I approached Ugo Uhl of Astana at the Tour and he said I might have a chance," Bauer told Cycling News from his home in Canada.

"I'll be the sport director and I'm not sure yet about my other roles: at BMC and CCC I did a lot of administrative work on the service course in addition to road, but at Astana I'm new, so I'll be more like a regular sport director, attending more races, communicating with the riders communication and race preparation," he said.

Bauer, who wore the yellow jersey in the Tour de France in 1998 and 1990, believes that the new sponsors will have some influence, but that the new contracts will be based on talent.

"It's very cool to have a Canadian company join a WorldTour team. But obviously World Tour Cycling is at the top of its game and anyone who comes to the group needs to be qualified," he explained.

"Over time, I think more Canadian riders can mature to that level. I think it's natural for Canadian sponsors to have that authority."

"I think it's a good thing that we have a Canadian sponsor.

COVID-19 restrictions meant that Bauer did not have the opportunity to meet most of his new colleagues, but with the CCC team disbanding at the end of the season and his duties there virtually complete, the 61-year-old had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the 2021 Astana-Premier Tech lineup.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know them. I'll gradually get to know a lot of the staff and riders," Bauer added.

"I think they are a very strong team, especially in stage races and one-day races that favor climbers. Fuglsang has proven to be a monumental winner, and in the stage race we have guys like the Izagirre brothers and Vlasov who will take on the toughest stages. He did very well in the first Grand Tour he completed and is a talent to be reckoned with. We will have to get to know them all, but they are a strong and good team."

Bauer also acknowledged the team's desire for a balance of youth and experience on next year's roster. Several high-profile and experienced leaders have been re-signed, and the talented Miguel Angel Lopez has moved on to Movistar, while young talents like Vlasov are enjoying breakout seasons.

"We have a good balance of young talent and experience. Young riders are very important and teams that do not incorporate young talent will suffer in the future. A lot of young riders are joining the World Tour and getting results right away. That's how it is."

Bauer's move to Astana also links him to one of the riders he helped develop professionally a decade ago, completing a circle.

"Hugo has grown as an athlete in our group. When our sponsorship failed, Hugo stepped up and grew. He had a great Tour this year and did well in the last attack that we (CCC) had to participate in.

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