Astana team manager Giuseppe Martinelli has rejected rumours that he is going to Team Sky but he has admitted he would like to start a new, Italian-sponsored WorldTour team.

“Those who said that I will leave because they had seen me sitting in the back seat of a team car are completely on the wrong track,” Martinelli told Tuttobici. “I still have a year of my contract left with Astana and I want to have more success with Vincenzo, who will stay for two more years, and with [Fabio] Aru. They are two real jewels and any manager would love to work with them.”

59 year old Martinelli hopes that Nibali’s win in last month’s Tour de France will inspire Italian companies to start sponsoring in cycling once again and he hopes to eventually start an Italian team, with Aru and Nibali as its stars.

“My dream would be to find a big Italian sponsor who would be prepared to invest in two such strong athletes, maybe in 2017,” Martinelli said. “The Tour 2014 effect can re-launch our cycling, but there are still critical situations at a structural level. It’s heresy that Italy has only one team at WorldTour level [Lampre – ed]. And, for example, we would need to modify the Continental teams, which are the death of our sport as they are currently structured.”

For now both riders will be at Astana and Martinelli insists that both men cannot only coexist on the same team, but even in the same races.

“Aru is fortunate that he can ride for Astana and mature in Nibali’s shadow,” Martinelli said. “I’ll say more: I’d like to manage the two of them together in a big stage race, where they could certainly coexist without harming one another. They are two intelligent and very rational athletes.”

Aru will once again target the Giro next year but Nibali is believed to be aiming for the Giro-Tour double, so both men may need to be able to share leadership duties very soon.

“It’s a difficult double and only a few champions have succeeded, but Vincenzo could do it (the Giro-Tour double) – it will depend on the routes and on his motivation,” he said. “Aru, meanwhile, would do well to concentrate on the Giro. It’s still too soon for the Tour. He’s young and we’ll talk about it again in a couple of years.”

Martinelli’s son Davide is a stagaire on the Sky team just now and asked if he would like to work with his son, Martinelli senior replied:

"It’s right that he follows his own path. He’s a strong and motivated young athlete, and he’ll gain excellent experience in one of the strongest teams at world level," Martinelli said. "In any case, there’s time enough that our paths might cross in future."