It's been a tumultuous season for Astana Qazaqstan from a sponsorship point of view. After adding Mark Cavendish to the roster at the last minute, the team became embroiled in a back and forth with Scicon over sunglasses, and now there's change afoot in the wheels department.
Some members of the team have recently been spotted using HED wheels, and not the usual offering from Corima. Cavendish used the new hoops at the recent Giro di Sicilia, as did the race winner, Alexey Lutsenko, while others are currently using them at the Tour of the Alps.
The move is perhaps a bid to improve the aerodynamic package of the team bikes and opt for a confirmed tubeless option. Corima have apparently begun to provide a tubeless option too but Astana Qazaqstan decided to work with two suppliers at the same time.
Changes in equipment and performance first decision aren't anything unusual in the modern peloton, with teams even using sponsor-incorrect gear, especially in time trials.
There is usually an effort made to conceal the true manufacturer. But it is clear that Astana Qazaqstan are using HED wheels; the three giant blue HED logos are something of a giveaway.
The lack of any surreptitiousness on the part of the mechanics suggests that this is no something used to target a specific race but is part of a longer-term move to use HED tubeless wheels.
Both Astana Qazaqstan and HED confirmed to Cyclingnews that an official supplier deal had indeed been struck.
"Astana are riding our wheels and we’re thrilled to be supplying them. There are always riders here and there time trialling on our products but it has been a while since we had an entire Pro Tour team on our wheels," HED told Cyclingnews.
"We’re a small company doing our own manufacturing, and supplying a whole team is a big commitment. Initially the team approached us looking for more aerodynamic wheel options for TT, and we built and sent several Vanquish disc/Vanquish 8 sets to them in early spring. After some testing they requested mass start wheels as well."
The blue logos? A very simple reason: "Because we can, and they look cool."
Astana Qazaqstan confirmed that HED is a supplier but not a complete replacement for Corima, who are still providing the team with wheels.
It appears the current mix could be simply due to HED not being able to supply enough wheels on such a short timeframe, and suggests an eagerness on the part of Astana to get going on the new gear as soon as possible, regardless of the optics.
This is the second round of sponsor and equipment changes at Astana this year, following the controversy surrounding sunglasses earlier in the year.
As revealed by Cyclingnews, Italian company Scicon terminated its contract after Cavendish, who counts Oakley as a long-time personal sponsor, signed for the team and raced in shades from the rival brand.
