It was announced today that the Astana team will ride Trek bikes in 2008, with the Wisconsin company announcing it will supply its new Madone for the team, which can list last years Tour de France winner among its lineup.

“We’re excited to be part of the new Astana and to continue racing at the sport’s highest level,” says Trek’s President John Burke. “What counts here is having the best riders on the best bikes. We have faith in Johan [Bruyneel] and we’re fired up about working with riders like Levi and Alberto.”

“When we learned that the Discovery Team was dissolving after the 2007 season, we knew that we wanted to stay in the pro peloton,” notes Scott Daubert, Trek’s Road Bike Brand Manager. “But we didn’t want to jump into just any team; we wanted to make sure any future sponsorships would be the right move for Trek, even if that meant sitting out the 2008 season. When Johan approached us about a possible move to Astana, we realized that the opportunity to continue working with him was too good to pass up.

It’s good news too for Alberto Contador, who rode to victory aboard the new Madone last year. “Obviously Trek knows what they are doing. Look at the races they have won,” he said. “I’m happy to stay on a Trek to defend my Tour title.”

The team’s first race aboard Trek bicycles will be Australia’s Tour Down Under, which races from 22-27 January 2008.