Vincenzo Nibali will remain the leader of a WorldTour team after Astana received their license yesterday. The team received the news last night at their hotel in Calpe. The Tour de France winner remainx calm and confident and emphasizes his commitment to a transparent and clean cycling, despite the damning accusations against his team.

Vincenzo Nibali talked to a small number of media, including BiciCiclismo after his team had agreed to a small interview before the Italian left for training with his teammates at 10.00. The Italian answered the questions calmly. "For me, today is a day like yesterday because we are here to train. We have a season just around the corner. I'm focused on my sport," he said.

He repeated his message from previous weeks: doping cases from the Continental Team Astana has nothing to do with him. "There are only two cases in the WorldTour team. It is not fair to regard the continental team as part of the WorldTour team. They are two different, separate teams. It's not the same team, they are two completely different teams, with a different structure, a different president, a different manager," he argued.

That there is a few rotten apples does not mean that everybody is doing things wrong. "There is mafia in Sicily like in the rest of the world but that does not mean we are all gangsters. Cyclists are always trying to be transparent. I've always practiced a clean cycling and will continue to do so. I try to bring logic to what I do," he explained.

"The problems that exist in this team can also be found in many other formations. I do not think our team is the worst because other teams may be worse. People do not mention any names," he added.

Furthermore, he is "very happu" because the team is now going to be under stricter supervision by the UCI and will have more controls. "Hence, we can offer something to make it a cleaner sport and give cycling a purpose."

Nibali has wanted to make clear that he has no links to Michele Ferrari and refuses the reports that the Italian doctor attended the Astana team camp last year. "I've never worked with Ferrari, absolutely not, because we all know what happens if you just meet him once. The rumours are unfounded," he said.

Nibali has now become used to answer questions about doping. "I am calm. I've been under this pressure earlier in the Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta. I work with serenity, it is part of my philosophy, my sport, and I try have it as a  lifestyle. Also I do not want to disappoint anyone, especially not my family," he said.