Alexander Vinokourov

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Alexander Vinokourov

---

fullname = Alexander Nikolaivich Vinokourov
Алексaндр Николаевич Винокуров
nickname = Vino
dateofbirth = birth date and age |1973|9|16
country = KAZ
currentteam = Retired
height = height|m=1.77
weight = convert|68|kg|lb st|abbr=on|lk=on
discipline = Road
role = Rider
ridertype = All-rounder
proyears = 1998–1999
2000–2005
2006
2006–2007
proteams = Casino
Team Telekom/T-Mobile
Liberty Seguros-Würth
Astana
majorwins = Vuelta a España (2006), 4 stages
Tour de France, 3 stages
Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2005)
Amstel Gold Race (2003)
Paris-Nice (2002, 2003)
Dauphiné Libéré (1999)
Tour de Suisse (2003)
Deutschland Tour (2001)
updated = December 7, 2007

Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, ( _ru. Алексaндр Николаевич Винокуров, born September 16, 1973 in Petropavlovsk, Soviet Union, now Petropavl, Kazakhstan) was a Kazakhstani former professional road bicycle racer. He is often referred to as "Vino" is an all-rounder. Vinokourov was banned for a year for blood-doping following during the 2007 Tour de France and subsequently retired. [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7131015.stm |title=Banned Vinokourov quits cycling |date=2007-12-07 |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=BBC Sport] . In September 2008 he announced his intention to return to cycling in 2009. [cite news| url=http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/84011/vino--confirms-plans-to-ride-again |title=Vino Confirms Plans To Ride Again |date=2008-10-05 |accessdate=2008-10-05 |publisher=Velonews]

Early amateur career

According to Vincent Lavenu, who offered Vinokourov his first professional contract, Vinokourov was training every day at 11 and competed in cyclo-cross.cite web|url=http://tour-de-france.france2.fr/2005/tour-de-france_journal.php3?id_rubrique=106|title=Lavenu: "On est le Auxerre du cyclisme"|publisher=France 2|accessdate=2007-07-27] Other accounts say he started at 13.cite web|url=http://ecsel.free.fr/Archives/pro/alexandre_vinokourov.htm|title=Échappée n°5 . Été 1997 Rencontre avec Alexandre Vinokourov et Andrei Kivilev par Marie Line GONLON|publisher=Espoir cycliste St Etienne Loire|accessdate=2007-07-27] In 1986, aged 13, Vinokourov became an athlete at the sports school in the capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty. [cite web|url=http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=5935|title=Alexander the great|publisher=Daily Peloton|accessdate=2007-07-28] The school was based on those in the Soviet Union.cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2003/interviews/?id=alexandre_vinokourov03|title=In Vino Vertas|publisher=cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2007-07-28] Vinokourov trained at the school for five years.

Kazakhstan was still a part of the Soviet Union. Vinokourov trained to compete with the Soviet national team. Around this time, he did his two-year military service.

Kazakhstan declared independence on December 16, 1991 and Vinokourov rode for the Kazakh national team. In 1993, he finished third behind Pascal Hervé of France the Regio Tour amateur stage race in Germany. The race opened to professionals the following year and Vinokourov won in 2004. [cite web|url=http://www.velo-club.net/article.php?sid=18162|title=Palmarès du Regio-Tour International|publisher=velo-club.net|accessdate=2007-07-27] Other notable performances included winning two stages at the 1995 Tour of Ecuador and the 1996 Tour of Slovenia. He competed in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and finished 53rd. [cite web|url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/archives/jul96/ogmrr1.html|title=Men’s Olympic road race|publisher=cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2007-07-28]

Amateur career at Espoir cycliste St-Etienne Loire

In winter 1996 Gilles Mas, directeur sportif of the Agrigel-La Creuse team, received a letter from the trainer of the Kazakhn team, who wished to place six riders in professional teams. Mas tried two on condition they rode for the amateur Espoir Cycliste Saint-Etienne Loire (ECSEL) for a year. Mas and Pierre Rivory, of ECSEL, choose Andrey Mizurov and Vinokourov. Mizurov did not want to leave Kazakhstan and refused. Vinokourov arrived on 22 March 1997 after completing the Tour of Malaysia. According to Lavenu, Vinokourov won this race.

As Vinokourov was settling in France, Andrei Kivilev was with an amateur team in Burgos in Spain. Being a friend and from the same sports school, he and Vinokourov kept phone contact. Vinokourov spoke to his club about a place for Kivilev. Kivilev had come 29th place in the Olympic road race the previous year so the club gave him the place originally reserved for Andrei Mizourov. Kivilev arrived in St tienne in May 1997.

Vinokourov came second in a stage of the Tour of Auvergne two weeks after arriving and was best climber in a Coupe de France race a week later. Then, during a trial for the Casino professional team, the Tour of Saone et Loire, he won three of the four stages. [cite web|url=http://www.velo101.com/actualite/default.asp?Id=8958&Section=Elites2|title=Interview de Jean Niger, directeur d'organisation de l'Essor Breton|publisher=velo101.com|accessdate=2007-07-27] the Essor Breton. Vinokourov won ten races for his club. Vincent Lavenu offered him a two-year professional contract during the summer of 1997 to ride for the Casino for the 1998 and 1999. [cite web|url=http://www.humanite.fr/journal/1997-07-19/1997-07-19-783598|title=Article paru le 19 juillet 197|publisher=l’Humanite|accessdate=2007-07-27]

Early professional career

He won six races in his first year, including the Four Days of Dunkirk, Tour de l'Oise, and stages in the Tour of Poland and Circuit des Mines. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2002/mar02/mar18news.php |title=2002 Paris-Nice winner biography |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09]

At the start of 1999 season, he won the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana stage race and three months later won two stages of the Midi Libre. He followed this by winning the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, when he beat the American, Jonathan Vaughters. Vinokourov lost the yellow jersey to Vaughters after the Mont Ventoux time trial but regained it on the following mountain stage. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/1999/jun99/dauphine997.html |title=51st Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-04-05] After this display, he was seen as a potential future tour contender.

In 2000 he joined Team Telekom. He won the combination competition in Paris-Nice and finished third in the Critérium International. In the Tour de France he finished 15th after working for captain Jan Ullrich. His first win for the German team was stage 18 in the Vuelta a España in which he caught the two riders in the breakaway and sprinted past Roberto Laiseka and Vicente Garcia Acosta in the last 300 metres. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2000/aug00/vuelta00/stages/vueltalivecomp18.shtml |title=Complete live report, Stage 18 Veulta |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-04-05] Several weeks later, he came second in the Olympic Games behind Jan Ullrich in front of another Telekom teammate Andreas Kloden. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2000/sep00/oly00/results/roadmen.shtml |title=2000 Men's Olympic Road Race results and report |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09]

In 2001 during the Deutschland Tour, Vinokourov time-trialed to a stage win and took the yellow jersey from his Telekom teammate Erik Zabel. The dominance of the Telekom team was evident the following day when Rolf Aldag won and Vinokourov gained a minute and a half over the peloton to ensure victory. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/may01/tourofgermany017.shtml |title=2001 Tour of Germany stage 7 results and report |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09] He rode the Tour de France that year in support of Ullrich, where he finished 16th overall.

In 2002, Vinokourov won Paris-Nice after he attacked Laurent Jalabert and Andrei Kivilev on Mont Faron. This earned him the leader's jersey. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2002/mar02/parisnice02/parisnice024.shtml |title=2002 Paris-Nice Stage 4 results and report |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09] On the penultimate stage to the Col d’Eze which ended in a mountaintop finish, Vinokourov kept his lead and won Paris-Nice the following day. Later in 2002, he won the first mountain stage in the Tour de Suisse [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2002/jun02/TourDeSuisse02/?id=results/stage3 |title=2002 Tour de Suisse stage 3 results and report |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09] but several stages later he fell on a mountain descent and was taken to hospital after the stage. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2002/jun02/jun24news |title= Vinokourov unsure about continuing Tour de Suisse |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09] He chose not to continue in the race in order to prepare for the Tour but two weeks later, it was discovered he had a fracture of the coccyx, at the end of the spine, and could not take part in the 2002 Tour de France. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2002/tour02/?id=news/jul02/jul05 |title= Vinokourov out of Telekom's Tour team |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09] Due to the absence of Ullrich for Team Telekom, Vinokourov was to be the leader that year.

2003 - the breakthrough year

During the second stage of the 2003 Paris-Nice (won by Davide Rebellin ahead of Vinokourov and Dario Frigo), a crash occurred in the peloton in which Andrei Kivilev and two other riders were brought down. While the other two were able to get back on their bikes, Kivilev fell into a coma. He died during the night. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/mar03/mar12news2 |title=Cyclingnews flash Kivilev dies of injuries |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09] Vinokourov was shocked and two days later said he was more motivated than ever to win Paris-Nice. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/mar03/mar14news |title=Cyclingnews Vinokourov more motivated than ever |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09] The following day Vinokourov attacked on Mont Faron to win and take the leader’s jersey. It was an emotional win in which he pointed to the sky. Two days later, Vinokourov won Paris-Nice and held up a photograph of Kivilev on the podium.

Exactly 40 days later, the traditional period for mourning in Kazakhstan, Vinokourov won the Amstel Gold Race. Vinokourov got to the leading group with 10 kilometres left and at five kilometres got away. He built 15 seconds that he fought to maintain up the steep Cauberg hill, winning four seconds ahead of Michael Boogerd. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/worldcup03/amstel03/?id=results |title=Amstel Gold Race 2003 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09]

On the flat first stage of the 2003 Tour de Suisse, Vinokourov put in an attack that only Russian Serguei Ivanov could match and won the stage and took the lead. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/jun03/tourdesuisse03/?id=results/stage1 |title=Tour de Suisse 2003 stage 1 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09] On the first mountain stage, Francesco Casagrande dropped Vinokourov and closed the gap to six seconds . On the following mountain stage, Casagrande attacked again and took the jersey. But several days later in an individual time trial, Casagrande cracked as Vinokourov produced a solid performance for fifth to retake the jersey and win the race. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/jun03/tourdesuisse03/?id=results/stage9 |title=Tour de Suisse Stage 9 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09]

Coming into the 2003 Tour de France, Vinokourov was for the first time riding to win. He was going to share this role with Columbian Santiago Botero. Vinokourov finished second on the stage to the l'Alpe d'Huez. On the following day, Vinokourov attacked on the final climb 9km from the finish and won the stage. He moved into second overall 21 seconds short of Lance Armstrong. Several days later in the individual time trial, won by Ullrich, Vinokourov took third position and kept it to the end . He was voted the most combative rider. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/tour03/?id=results/stage20 |title=Tour de France Stage 20 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-09]

2004

In the 2004 Paris-Nice, Vinokourov missed the break that gained five minutes on the second stage [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/mar04/parisnice04/?id=results/stage2 |title=2004 Paris Nice Stage 2 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] but he bounced back to win three stages. On the fifth he attacked towards the end of a small climb with 8km to go. He built ten seconds and won with four seconds to spare. He dedicated the win to Kivilev. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/mar04/parisnice04/?id=results/stage5 |title=2004 Paris Nice Stage 5 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] In the finale of stage 7, Vinokourov attacked the lead group on the flat windy coastal road with 5km to go. He caught and passed Samuel Sánchez with 2km to go and won the stage. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/mar04/parisnice04/?id=results/stage7 |title=2004 Paris Nice Stage 7 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] On the final stage Vinokourov won against Denis Menchov in a breakaway sprint. [cite web| url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/mar04/parisnice04/?id=results/stage8 |title=2004 Paris Nice Stage 8 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17]

In Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Vinokourov finished third behind Davide Rebellin and Michael Boogerd. Boogerd and Vinokourov had been matching each other while Rebellin waited for the sprint and won. [cite web| url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/worldcup04/lbl04/?id=results |title=2004 Liege Bastogne Liege report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] Vinokourov crashed on the second stage of the Tour de Suisse [cite web| url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/jun04/tourdesuisse04/?id=results/stage2 |title=2004 Tour de Suisse Stage 2 report and results |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] which tore several ligaments in his shoulder which prevented him from contesting the 2004 Tour de France. [cite web| url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2004/jun04/jun15news |title=Cycling news June 15 |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17]

He returned for the Regio Tour at the start of August. On the second stage, he won the time trial. On the following stage, he won the bunch sprint and took the leader’s jersey to win. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2004/aug04/regio04/regio045 |title=Regio Tour Stage 5 results, report and photos |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] He then rode the Vuelta a España but due to food poisoning lost time during the first week. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2004/sep04/sep09news |title=Cycling news September 9th|publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] Vinokourov recoveredg and finished fourth in the time trial. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/vuelta04/?id=results/vuelta0415|title=Vuelta a España 2004 Stage 15 results, report and photos|publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] He rode the world hampionship and took the bronze medal in the time trial. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/worlds04/?id=results/worlds045|title=2004 UCI World Time Trial Championships time trial|publisher=Cyclingnews|accessdate=2007-06-17]

2005 Season

Vinokourov’s first season win in 2005 and the first for the team was Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Vinokourov broke away with Jens Voigt with more than 50km to go. Vinokourov attacked on the final short climb 6km from the finish but could not get away from Voigt. Instead he waited and beat Voigt in the sprint. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/apr05/lbl05/?id=results|title=2005 Liege Bastogne Liege |publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] In the Dauphiné Libéré, Vinokourov won the stage on Mont Ventoux. He had attacked the favourites for the Tour de France, reaching the breakaway before attacking at several hundred metres on the uphill finish to win the stage. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/jun05/dauphinelibere05/?id=results/dauphinelibere054|title=2005 Criterium de Dauphine Libere stage 4 results, report and photos|publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17] Vinokourov travelled back to Kazakhstan to win the national championship ahead of Mizourov and Kashechkin. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2005/jun05/kazkakhstan05/kazkakhstan053|title=2005 Kazakhstan National Road Race Championships|publisher=Cyclingnews |accessdate=2007-06-17]

2005 Tour de France

In July 2005, [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/jun05/jun28news2|title=June 28th interview with Alexandre Vinokourov|publisher=cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2007-07-27] , Vinokourov claimed he was in as good condition as 2003 when he achieved third place. While Lance Armstrong's teammates said they were riding for "Lance", Vinokourov said he was riding "for the team". The implication was that if he or Andreas Klöden (2nd in 2004, while Ullrich was 4th) rode better than Ullrich, he would be leader.

Vinokourov achieved third place in the opening time trial, beating Ullrich and Klöden by 15 seconds and 1:08. In stage 8, Armstrong followed Vinokourov's attacks but allowed Klöden to go. Vinokourov rode separated from his teammates, bringing speculation regarding Ullrich's role in the team.

Vinokourov lost time in the mountains. Revenge came when he won stage 11 in a break, outsprinting Santiago Botero. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/tour05/?id=results/tour0511|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|title=2005 Tour de France Stage 11, Courchevel-Briançon|accessdate=2007-07-27]

Tension between Vinokourov and his team boiled on stage 14 into the Pyrenees where Vinokourov was dropped, chased for 20km and then attacked, but Kloden and Ullrich reeled him in, bringing criticism of T-Mobile's tactics which were apparently just to support Ullrich. Vinokourov settled his differences when he won stage 21 to Paris.

After 3rd place in the time trial in the penultimate stage, losing time to only Armstrong and Ullrich, Vinokourov moved to 6th, trailing Leipheimer in 5th by two seconds. The final stage, usually a formality, became a showdown between Vinokourov and Leipheimer. A sprint prime with time bonuses came at 75km in Châteny-Malabry. Leipheimer and his Gerolsteiner team came to the front. Leipheimer needed to prevent Vinokourov from getting it. Gerolsteiner set a fast tempo to discourage Vinokourov. But 1.5km from the sprint, Vinokourov attacked. Soon only Leipheimer could hold his wheel, but he was not able to pass and so Vinokourov gained six seconds, Leipheimer four. Leipheimer was ahead only by a fraction of a second. When they reached Paris officials stopped the clock due to dangerous conditions (the cobblestone road was wet and slippery from rain), and the final sprint prime was cancelled.

Leipheimer said he was informed that normal bonus time for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place on the stage would also not be awarded. He and others thought Leipheimer had 5th place. In the final kilometers, several riders broke clear but were caught. Then, as the pace was increasing, Vinokourov moved to the front. With 2km remaining, Laurent Brochard attacked and Vinokourov jumped on his wheel. A few seconds later Brad McGee closed the gap. When Brochard cracked, McGee moved to the front, but Vinokourov followed. They achieved a gap that could not be closed. McGee zigged and zagged, making Vinokourov work, but Vinokourov found enough power to pull around McGee and win.

That was victory made of courage and guts - I really gave it all in the last kilometres, although I didn't think it was possible until I crossed the line. I just went 'à bloc' - it's unbelievable, magnificent! I have no words for it...I did think a lot about Kivilev yesterday in St. Etienne, and I think that motivated me even more. I'm very happy to win.

Tour officials awarded time bonuses after all, so Vinokourov gained 20 seconds to put him into 5th place. [cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2005/diaries/levi/tour05.php?id=levi0528|title=Levi Leipheimer describes how Vinokourov knocked him out of 5th place in the final stage of the 2005 Tour|publisher=cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2007-07-27] As his contract with T-Mobile was up in 2005, many speculated which team he would join, and whether it would give him full support in 2006. The team turned out to be Manolo Saiz's Liberty Seguros-Würth.

Astana-Würth Team

Liberty Seguros withdrew sponsorship on 25 May 2006 after the arrest of Manolo Saiz relating to blood doping. A coalition of companies from Kazakhstan took over sponsorship, now called Team Astana. On June 30, 2006, Astana-Würth withdrew from the 2006 Tour de France after five riders were implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case, leaving Vinokourov, one of the favorites, with three teammates, below the required six riders. Vinokourov was never accused or implicated.

In the Vuelta a España, after losing time in the first mountains, Vinokourov went into attack. He lost the 7th stage to Alejandro Valverde, took revenge by winning the 8th and 9th stages and climbed to 5th place at the end of the first week. After a good time trial, and aggressive climbing on stages 17 & 18 (stage 18 was won by Kashechkin), Vinokourov took first place and claimed the gold jersey from Valverde. After a strong time trial, his 3rd stage victory, Vinokourov won the Vuelta.

2007 Tour de France

In the 2007, Vinokourov was aiming for victory in the Tour de France. After riding the Dauphiné Libéré, he started the the 2007 Tour on July 7 in London. Vinokourov fell in the first week, injuring both knees. He lost time in the Alps, and fell from the list of contenders.

After being written off, Vinokourov won the first individual time trial by 1:14 from Cadel Evans. Vinokourov said: "I am happy with my performance, I am finding my legs again. Now I want to attack in the Pyrénées. I want to thank everyone in and around the team that encouraged me to get through the Alps." [cite web| url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/?id=results/tour0713 | title = A mighty maillot jaune holds - Vino returns with stage win |Publisher = Cyclingnews.com] He also secured a win in stage 15, a mountain stage finishing in Loudenvielle.

The following day, on July 24, Vinokourov failed the doping control following his time trial victory. His blood had a double population of erythrocytes, which implied a homologous transfusion. [cite web| url= http://www.team-astana.eu/f/actualite.php | title = Alexandre Vinokourov contrôlé positif, Astana Cycling Team se retire du Tour de France | Publisher = Team Astana] He delivered a positive for blood doping on 24 July 2007.cite news|title=Team says Vinokourov fails dope test
url=http://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSL2475229520070724 |publisher=Reuters |accessdate=2007-07-24 |date=2007-07-24 ]

As a result, his Astana Team pulled out after being requested to withdraw by ASO president Patrice Clerc [cite web
url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/news/?id=/news/2007/jul07/jul25news
title= Vinokourov positive for transfusion, Astana quits Tour
publisher=Cyclingnews
date=2007-07-25]

Vinokourov's B sample came back a few days later, and Cadel Evans was declared winner of stage 13. Vinokourov was stripped of his stage 15 victory, which was awarded to Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg. According to Phil Liggett, long-time commentator for the Tour, "It is incomprehensible that Vinokourov could do such a thing when he must have known he was under suspicion because of his dealing with disgraced doctor Michele Ferrari in Italy. He must have known he would be tested at every opportunity and the time trial was the perfect occasion." [cite web| url= http://www.versus.com/tdf/article/view/40064/?ss=report&tf=DailyReports_read.tpl | title = Versus Daily Reports, The 94th Tour de France, from July 7th to 29th 2007|Publisher = Versus]

Vinokourov faced a one-year ban from the sport. The UCI was by the short ban, which let him ride the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [ [http://velonews.com/race/int/articles/13767.0.html VeloNews | Thursday's EuroFile: Light Vino' sentence irks UCI; Klöden sticks with Astana; ex-Olympian was informer | The Journal of Competitive Cycling ] ] It was shorter than for other cyclists found guilty, such as Tyler Hamilton and Ivan Basso. Astana has threatened to sue Vinokourov for damages, [ [http://www.olntv.com/tdf/article/archive/163/?ss=report&tf=DailyReports_list.tpl Paul Sherwen] , Versus TV network commentary (7-26-07)] as has Cadel Evans and team Predictor-Lotto, due to the publicity they lost for Evans not being named the winner at the time of the stage.

Retirement

In December 2007, Vinokourov announced his retirement. [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7131015.stm |title=Banned Vinokourov quits cycling |date=2007-12-07 |accessdate=2007-12-07 |publisher=BBC Sport]

Potential return

Alexander Vinokourov, banned for a year after doping at the 2007 Tour de France, confirmed on September 28th 2008 that he wishes to return to the sport. The 35-year-old told Belgian TV station Sporza that he wants to race again in 2009. "I love cycling. I want to come back because I didn't want to end my career in this way. I feel as if I can win once again the big races."Before returning to the saddle, however, the controversial Vinokourov faces the angry opposition of world governing body, the UCI, which has reserved the right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to increase the ban which was imposed by his national federation. Various media reports claim that UCI president Pat McQuaid wants the Kazakh to serve a two-year ban, in line with the organization’s guidelines.

Major Achievements

;1998 – Casino: 1st, Overall and Stage 2, Four Days of Dunkirk: 1st, Overall and 1 Stage, Tour de l'Oise: 1st, Overall and 1 Stage, Circuit des Mines: 1st, Stage, Tour de Pologne;1999 – Casino: 1st, Overall and 1 stage, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré: 1st, Overall and 1 stage, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana: 1st, 2 stages, Grand Prix du Midi Libre;2000 – Deutsche Telekom: 1st, Stage 18, Vuelta a España: 2nd (Silver Medal), : 2nd, Stage 18, Tour de France;2001 – Deutsche Telekom: 1st, Overall and 1 Stage, Deutschland Tour: 1st, Stage 4, Tour de Suisse;2002 – Team Telekom: 1st, Overall and Stage 4, Paris-Nice: 1st, Stage 3, Tour de Suisse;2003 – Team Telekom: 1st, Amstel Gold Race: 1st, Overall and Stage 5, Paris-Nice: 1st, Overall and Stage 1, Tour de Suisse: 3rd, Overall, Tour de France:: 1st, Stage 9;2004 – T-Mobile Team: 1st, Stages 5, 7 and 8, Paris-Nice: 1st, Overall and Stages 2 and 3, Regio Tour International: 3rd (Bronze Medal), World Cycling Championships Time Trial: 3rd, Liège-Bastogne-Liège;2005 – T-Mobile Team: 1st – Liège-Bastogne-Liège: 1st, Stage 4, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré: 1st, KAZ National Road Race Championship: 5th, Overall, Tour de France:: 1st, Stage 11:: 1st, Stage 21;2006 – Team Astana: 1st, :: 1st, Combined Classification ("maillot blanc"):: 1st, Stage 8, 9 and 20:: 2nd, Stage 17 and 18: 1st, Overall and Stage 5, Vuelta a Castilla y León: 3rd (Bronze Medal), World Cycling Championships Time Trial;2007 – Team Astana: 1st, Points classification, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré: 1st, Stage 3, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré: 1st, Stage 7, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

: Withdrew along with entire Team Astana before the start of stage 16 of the Tour De France due to positive homologous blood transfusion test

ee also

* List of doping cases in cycling
*List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References

External links

* [http://www.alexander-vinokourov.com/ Official Site]
* [http://www.cyclingpost.com/profiles/astana/article_001941.shtml Alexander Vinokourov profile]

Persondata
NAME=Vinokourov, Alexander
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Vinokourov, Alexandre; Алекса́ндр Николаевич Винокуров
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Road bicycle racer
DATE OF BIRTH=1973-09-16
PLACE OF BIRTH=Petropavl, Soviet Union
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=