- I have a really good season with Astana Pro Team so far and I am really happy with the results and a great atmosphere we have here. I am very happy to continue for two more years with the team and I am looking forward for another step in my career. Astana is a very good and tight-knit team, I feel here like in a family, so I am excited to remain here. My biggest goal for the next season is to make a selection in the roster for the Tour de France and to fight there for a stage. This is my dream!– said Merhawi Kudus.

Merhawi Kudus, 25, is spending his debut season in the Kazakh team. He proved to be a good climber and strong helper for the leaders of the team. Thus, in the beginning of the year Kudus won two stages and the general classification of the Tour du Rwanda. Later, in the season he took a solid third place in the overall standings of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey. At the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya he was among the riders, who helped to reach the final victory to Ion Izagirre and Miguel Angel Lopez, respectively.

-We invited Merhawi to our team, knowing about his climbing skills and in the first half of the season he proved it for 100%. Kudus is still learning some things and is getting new experience, but we are happy with his progress during the year. He has a few personal results, but also, he impressed us with the way he can help the leaders of the team. So, two more years for Merhawi Kudus in our project and we are looking forward to see his new results in the nearest future, - said Alexandr Vinokurov, general manager of Astana Pro Team.