Yevgeniy Fedorov will remain with XDS Astana Team through the end of 2028 after signing a two-year contract extension with the Kazakh WorldTour squad. The 26-year-old has been rewarded for a successful 2026 campaign in which he won both Asian road championship titles and took silver at the Asian Games in Japan.
Fedorov has been part of the organisation’s WorldTour squad since 2021, developing from a young prospect into one of its most important Kazakh riders. Alongside his results in national and continental championships, he has increasingly been used to support team leaders in major stage races and WorldTour events.
The new agreement keeps the former under-23 world champion with XDS Astana for another two seasons as the organisation continues strengthening its roster. It also ensures that one of Kazakhstan’s most successful current riders remains part of the country’s principal WorldTour team.
Asian championship double underlines strong 2026 season
Fedorov built much of his 2026 campaign around two major targets: the Asian Road Championships in February and the Asian Games in September.
The first objective brought two gold medals.
At the Asian Championships in Saudi Arabia, Fedorov won the elite individual time trial before taking victory in the road race. He finished three seconds ahead of China’s Su Haoyu in the 154.4-kilometre road event, adding another continental title to his record.
The results continued a remarkable sequence in the time trial. Fedorov has now won the Asian elite individual time-trial championship five consecutive times, beginning in 2022.
His performances against the clock have also translated into success at national level.
In June, he successfully defended his Kazakh time-trial title in Shchuchinsk, covering the 30.8-kilometre course in 35 minutes and 11 seconds despite wet conditions.
Team-mate Nicolas Vinokurov finished second, more than a minute behind, with Anton Kuzmin completing an all-XDS Astana podium.
Fedorov’s other victory came at the Baku–Khankendi Azerbaijan Cycling Race in May.
He won the second stage from Sea Breeze to Ismayilli, taking the race lead after a demanding 193.3-kilometre day featuring three categorised climbs.
The victory gave him the leader’s jersey, although a crash subsequently prevented him from challenging for the overall classification.
That disappointment was balanced by his performance at the Asian Games in Japan in September.
Representing Kazakhstan, Fedorov finished second in the road race, securing another major international medal to complete a successful season.
Fedorov proud to represent Kazakhstan
Fedorov explained that the Asian Championships and Asian Games had shaped his preparation throughout the year.
He credited XDS Astana with helping him reach both events in competitive form and said representing Kazakhstan remained an important responsibility.
The rider also pointed to the work he had undertaken for team leaders during the WorldTour season.
Although his championship victories attract the greatest attention, Fedorov has been used regularly as a domestique, helping team-mates in races where his own opportunities to pursue results are limited.
That combination of national success and team responsibilities appears to have been important in securing the renewal.
Fedorov welcomed the new agreement and said his intention was to continue improving while competing for results both with XDS Astana and the Kazakh national team.
The contract gives him another two years within a familiar environment rather than requiring a move elsewhere in the peloton.
Under-23 world title remains a career highlight
Fedorov’s international reputation was established at the 2022 Road World Championships in Wollongong, Australia.
The Kazakh rider won the men’s under-23 road race after a demanding 169.8-kilometre event contested in wet conditions.
He attacked during the closing stages and eventually escaped alongside Czech rider Mathias Vacek.
The pair worked together to hold off the chasing group before Fedorov won the two-rider sprint, taking the rainbow jersey by one second.
Norway’s Søren Wærenskjold finished third, three seconds behind.
The victory established Fedorov among the strongest riders of his generation, although his transition into a consistent winner in the European WorldTour calendar has been more gradual.
He had already joined Astana at the beginning of 2021 after two seasons with the organisation’s Continental development structure.
His early results included second overall at the 2020 Tour de Langkawi and victory in the Kazakh national road race championship the following year.
The world title provided another step forward, followed by victory in the road race at the 2023 Asian Games.
Since then, Fedorov has continued accumulating national and continental titles while establishing a more consistent role within Astana’s WorldTour roster.
His results in 2025 included both Kazakh national championship titles and third place at the Grand Prix de Fourmies, demonstrating that he could also compete near the front in European one-day racing.
The 2026 season has added further success to that record.
Vinokurov sees further room for improvement
XDS Astana general manager Alexandr Vinokurov welcomed the contract extension, highlighting the progress Fedorov has made since becoming a professional.
Although Fedorov is only 26, he has already completed six seasons at WorldTour level.
Vinokurov believes that experience is beginning to produce more consistent results, particularly as Fedorov learns to combine personal ambitions with his responsibilities to other riders.
The general manager also praised his commitment when competing for Kazakhstan, pointing to the performances at the Asian Championships and Asian Games as examples of his importance to the country’s cycling programme.
Those successes carry considerable significance for XDS Astana.
The team continues to represent Kazakhstan internationally, even as its roster has become increasingly multinational and its racing ambitions have expanded.
Fedorov is among the riders maintaining that connection between the WorldTour organisation and the national team.
His extension ensures continuity in a role that extends beyond individual race results.
XDS Astana continue building their 2027 roster
Fedorov’s renewal is another part of XDS Astana’s preparations for the 2027 season.
The team have already confirmed that Nicola Conci will remain through 2027, retaining an experienced support rider who has played an important role in stage races.
There will also be significant new arrivals.
Italian rider Andrea Bagioli joins from Lidl-Trek, bringing another option for hilly one-day races and selective finishes.
Former Tour de France stage winner Anthony Turgis is also moving to XDS Astana, strengthening the squad’s experience in the Classics.
Those additions reflect the team’s intention to compete across a broader range of races.
Keeping established riders is equally important, particularly those who already understand the organisation’s racing approach and can contribute in different situations.
Fedorov offers a combination of time-trial ability, endurance and experience in supporting team leaders. His national and continental championship record also gives him opportunities to compete for victories when representing Kazakhstan.
The new agreement runs through 2028, taking his association with the WorldTour team to eight seasons.
For Fedorov, the next challenge will be translating his consistent championship performances into more frequent results on the European calendar, while continuing to play an important role in XDS Astana’s wider racing programme.
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Photo Credit: Getty -
Photo Credit: Getty -
Photo Credit: Olly Hassell/SWPix.com
