Greek champion Nikiforos Arvanitou signs two-year deal with XDS Astana Team

Reigning Greek road champion Nikiforos Arvanitou has secured a permanent promotion to the top tier of professional cycling, signing a two-year contract with the XDS Astana Team. The agreement transitions the Athenian rider from his previous temporary trainee role into the permanent WorldTour roster, covering the upcoming 2027 and 2028 seasons. According to team announcements, the formalization of the deal follows an evaluation period that began when Arvanitou joined the Kazakh project as a stagiaire.

Before catching the attention of WorldTour scouts, Arvanitou competed in several third-division Continental formations. Most notably, he raced with Team United Shipping, a Hungarian Continental squad where he made a strong name for himself by securing as many as eight victories in less than a year. His impressive performances at that level opened the door to a traineeship with XDS Astana Team, which began on August 1.

Media additions

During his stint as a trainee, the Greek rider made an immediate impact across multiple racing blocks. He debuted at the Arctic Race of Norway, where he secured two top-ten stage finishes and helped teammate Thomas Silva claim the overall classification. Arvanitou continued his strong support work at the Belgian one-day race Gooikse Pijl, acting as a key domestique for Max Kanter, who went on to win the event. He also delivered a crucial, winning lead-out for Matteo Malucelli on the opening stage of the Tour de Kyushu.

Reflecting on his childhood support for the light-blue jersey squad, Arvanitou expressed deep enthusiasm about joining the main roster permanently:

"I am truly happy to join XDS Astana Team as a rider of the main roster. For me, XDS Astana Team is a team with a rich history and tremendous success over all these years. I supported this team when I was a child, and now joining the WorldTour with them is a real dream come true. This year, I had the opportunity to attend a training camp and race several events with the team as a trainee, and I immediately felt, as they say, like I was in the right place. In every racing block I took part in, we won something, and it was unforgettable. So I am really looking forward to the new season, when I will have the chance to compete in major races, help the team achieve important goals, and prove myself."

Nikiforos Arvanitou, Greek road champion, via Jen, Qazinform, Cyclismactu, and Tuttobiciweb

General Manager Alexandr Vinokurov praised the young rider's work ethic and versatility during the evaluation period. Vinokurov noted Arvanitou's utility as a dedicated domestique and last man, while also highlighting his potential to claim victories independently as a fast sprinter.

"We had the opportunity to assess Nikiforos both in training and in races during his traineeship. He made a very good impression – a young, strong rider, always ready to help his teammates and give 100% to achieve the goal. It is clear that Arvanitou has potential both as a domestique and lead-out rider, as well as a fast rider capable of achieving success on his own. Two years of hard work lie ahead, but he has every chance of becoming a good professional rider."

Alexandr Vinokurov, General Manager, via Jen, Qazinform, Cyclismactu, and Tuttobiciweb

The squad's recruitment moves extend beyond Arvanitou's promotion. Earlier announcements noted that Italian rider Toneatti also signed a contract extension with XDS Astana. Furthermore, Tuttobiciweb reports that Arvanitou's signing brings to 26 the number of riders under contract for 2027 with XDS Astana, which therefore has four slots remaining to fill in the coming weeks to complete the roster for the next season.