The jerseys will remain sky blue, but almost everything else will change for the 2025 Astana; XDS is now part owner of the team, the riders will use X-LAB bikes, and XDS aims to become a global leader in the cycling industry.

The official name of the team will be XDS Astana Team, not Astana Kazakstan, and team manager Alexander Vinokurov, Sportif director Mark Renshaw, and several riders will make the official announcement and signing ceremony in Shenzhen, China.

Mark Cavendish does not appear to have a role in the XDS Astana team. Cavendish was initially involved in planning the team's future, helping former pros Alex Dowsett and Pete Kennaugh bolster the team's performance and management staff, but he did not attend the Shenzhen launch.

Riders unveiling the new jerseys in China. The majority are sky blue, although some coloring can be seen on the shoulders, and include sponsors from Kazakhstan. The racing kit is made by Italian brand Biemme.

“Under XDS' investment, the Astana team will benefit from the brand's advanced engineering capabilities, cutting-edge bicycle technology, and strong financial backing,” the team said in a Shenzhen press release.

“This investment is an important step for XDS, establishing the team as a key player in the international cycling arena and will drive its further success in the coming years.”

XDS has long been a frame producer for other international brands, but will now begin to expand globally.

“The major investment in the Astana team is not only a major step for XDS in the world of professional cycling, but also an integral part of the company's broader strategy of expansion into international markets. XDS has long been a leader in the Chinese bicycle market, and with the XDS Astana team, the company is poised to take the next big leap forward.

“Our partnership with the XDS Astana team is a powerful statement of XDS' ambition to become a global leader in the bicycle industry.”

XDS Astana faces a battle to remain in the WorldTour beyond 2025, and the UCI has deemed it a condition of registration for next season that additional documentation be submitted by January 15. The announcement in Shenzhen would indicate that these issues will soon be resolved.

The team is investing heavily in strengthening its roster in order to earn important ranking points in 2025. Italian national champion Alberto Bettiol joined the team mid-season, and 13 new riders have been added for 2025. Alexey Lutsenko has moved to Israel Premier Tech, while new additions include Wout Poels, Diego Ulissi, Mike Tunissen, Sergio Igita, Clément Shampusin, Diego Ulissi, Fausto Masnada, and Kiwi sprinter Aaron Gate joined them. Many Kazakhstani riders left the team, and Michael Morkov and Cavendish retired.

Great Britain's Pete Kennaugh and Alex Dowsett have joined the team's staff to help reform the team. Dowsett is the team's performance engineer and Kennaugh is the Directeur Sportif. Veteran Italian director sportif Beppe Martinelli has retired, and Belgian Lorenzo Lapage and recently retired Lidl Trek director Dario Cataldo have been named director sportifs.

XDS Astana has also invested in a performance group, with Helmut Dollinger, Manuel Crespo, and Morgan Sosin joining the team along with Dowsett. Vassilis Anastopoulos, who helped Mark Cavendish get back on track in recent years, remains as the team's head of performance, and Maurizio Mazzoleni was named the team's sports manager.