David Roth has written an article for TNR about Lance Armstrong's strange ties to Kazakhstan:
As inspiring as it is to see 37-year-old Lance Armstrong un-retired, healthy, and near the front of the pack at this year's Tour de France, it's hard not to be distracted by what he's wearing. In place of the relatively wholesome U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel jerseys he wore during his previous wins, Armstrong is currently racing in the blue-and-yellow of the Astana Cycling Team. Which means that one of America's last golden boys is a walking (or riding) advertisement for the Kazakh government.
Update: Check out Zengerle's 2003 Diarist on Lance.