The Astana women's team will be transformed in 2021, with Kazakhstan's support ending and new investment from Mexico giving the team a "Latin soul."

The team will merge with A.R Efideporte, a mountain bike team run by Alejandro and Luis Rodriguez, and its title sponsor will be the financial firm Monex. The team will be named A.R. Monex Women's Professional Cycling Team.

Despite the Mexican influence, the team will be registered and based in Italy and part of a group that includes a mountain bike team and a new men's U23 team.

Both the men's and women's teams in Astana are threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a slump in the oil and gas industry has caused the Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund to reconsider its support for the teams.

The future of the men's team was assured, but funding for the women's team was cut off after six years. Despite this, the team will continue to operate as before, albeit with a new identity, under the direction of Maurizio Favretto. Favretto said in Wednesday's announcement, "I am really proud to launch this new project." When I met [brothers Alejandro and Luis Rodriguez], I was impressed by their work ethic. They are very professional and know very well that in order to develop young riders in the best possible way, they need to be based in Europe and always race on this side of the ocean.

"We share many ideals and that's why I put a lot of personal effort into making sure that the foundation we are building now is very strong.

With a three-year contract in place for what has been described as "an ambitious and fascinating project," the team is looking to eventually step up to the Women's World Tour.

The "enhanced" roster for 2021 includes 13 riders, three of whom have been announced and the remaining 10 to be revealed at a later date. Cuban rider Arlenis Sierra remains the "leader and reference point," while Mexican rider Yareli Salazar and Italian rider Katia Ragusa are the other two riders confirmed so far.

"The team will be strong. We have kept the riders who did their best last season and added some key elements.

"We are not rushing the times, nothing prevents us from reaching the highest level over the next three or four years and dreaming of a World Tour or Women's World Tour in a few seasons as well as throughout Latin America.