Nibali signs two-year contract with Astana

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Vincenzo Nibali has signed with Team Astana for two years, Allen Chayzhunusov, vice-president of the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation has confirmed. Nibali will take two of his Liquigas Cannondale teammates with him, Valerio Agnoli and Alessandro Vanotti. The Italian has podiumed in all three grand tours.

Nibali, 27, most recently finished third in the Tour de France. This season he also won Tirreno-Adriatico, was second in the Tour of Oman and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and was third in Milan-San Remo.

In 2011, he finished second overall in the Giro d'Italia and in 2010 he won the Vuelta a Espana the first time he raced it.

The Kazakh team, under general manager Giuseppe Martinelli, will have a strong Italian faction in the coming year. In addition to these three riders, there are currently six Italian riders on the team and a number of Italian mechanics, soigneurs and doctors.

Nibali's arrival at Astana is expected to signal the departure of Roman Kreuziger, who is rumoured to be moving to Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank.