Lars Boom is one of the newcomers on the Astana team. Due to the many doping cases, his decision to join the team has been questioned but the Dutchman continues to defend the Kazakh formation.

In the cycling world, all eyes are focused on Astana these days. Recently, the Kazakh formation was hit by its fifth dopingcase in just a few months and this has prompted many observers and fans to raise their eyebrows.

For Lars Boom who will be riding for Astana from next season, the situation is far from pleasant. Eve though the doping cases have mainly implicated riders on the continental team, Boom has been affected.

"Of course we were shocked again yesterday," he told NOS. "We have very little to do with it but I hate it terribly because the discussion comes up every time. But I can do little about it. I know what I have always done in the past and what I will continue to do in the coming years."

For Boom, it is not a problem to work with manager Alexandre Vinokourov who has a tainted past himself.

"In the last couple of years, I have seen a very nice Astana team. There is a reason for their win in the Tour. They are very professional. They had no one for the spring races and that's why I chose Astana."