Kazakh cyclist Dmitry Muravyev back to Astana from RadioShack

Kazakhstan cyclist Dmitry Muravyev has changed American team RadioShack for Astana team, Tengrinews.kz reports, citing Aidar Makhmetov, Astana commercial director, as quoted at the team's fan-club website. “We are glad to welcome Dmitry Muravyev to Astana! Dmitry is one of the most experienced Kazakhstan cyclists. Muravyev’s return to the team completes our effort to bring back all the best Kazakh cycling professionals to the team: Andrey Kashechkin, Dmitry Muravyev and Andrey Mizurov. This was the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation management’s goal. Now Giuseppe Martinelli is forming the main team and drawing in other professional cyclists to the team. We hope to see morefamous cyclists in “Astana” soon,” Makhmetov said. Dimitry Muravyev, 31, is a Kazakhstan born professional road bicycle racer. He turned professional in 2002 and has ridden internationally since then, although his primary victories have been the Kazakhstan national road race (2002) and the Kazakhstan national time trial (three times, 2003–2005). In 2007, he joined the newly-formed Kazakh team Astana on the UCI ProTour, where he managed to place 8th in the 2007 Ronde van Vlaanderen and was a member of the winning team in the 2009 Tour de France. On 22 November 2009 Muravyev had become one of the 12 members of Astana and the only Kazakh to rejoin former Astana team director Johan Bruyneel at Team RadioShack. Earlier another professional bicycle racer Andrey Kashechkin has returned to Astana cycling team. The contract has not been signed yet, but it is expected that he will be offered a two-year one. Kashechkin will cycle for Astana free of charge untill the end of the season.