Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, (Russian: 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.[1]
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Nikolaivich Vinokourov Алексaндр Николаевич Винокуров |
| Nickname | Vino |
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb; 10.7 st) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | All-rounder |
| Major wins | |
 Vuelta a España (2006), 4 stagesTour 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) | |
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.[2] Other accounts say he started at 13.[3] In 1986, aged 13, Vinokourov became an athlete at the sports school in the capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty. [4] The school was based on those in the Soviet Union.[5] 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.[3]
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.[6] 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.[7]
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.[3] Vinokourov arrived on 22 March 1997 after completing the Tour of Malaysia. According to Lavenu, Vinokourov won this race.[2]
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.[3]
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.[8] the Essor Breton.[3] 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.[9]
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.[10]
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.[11] 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. [5] 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.[12] Several weeks later, he came second in the Olympic Games behind Jan Ullrich in front of another Telekom teammate Andreas Kloden.[13]
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.[14] 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.[15] 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 [16] but several stages later he fell on a mountain descent and was taken to hospital after the stage.[17] 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.[18] 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.[19] Vinokourov was shocked and two days later said he was more motivated than ever to win Paris-Nice.[20] 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.[21]
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.[22] 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.[23]
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.[24]
2004
In the 2004 Paris-Nice, Vinokourov missed the break that gained five minutes on the second stage [25] 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.[26] 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.[27] On the final stage Vinokourov won against Denis Menchov in a breakaway sprint.[28]
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.[29] Vinokourov crashed on the second stage of the Tour de Suisse[30] which tore several ligaments in his shoulder which prevented him from contesting the 2004 Tour de France.[31]
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.[32] He then rode the Vuelta a España but due to food poisoning lost time during the first week.[33] Vinokourov recoveredg and finished fourth in the time trial.[34] He rode the world hampionship and took the bronze medal in the time trial.[35]
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.[36] 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.[37] Vinokourov travelled back to Kazakhstan to win the national championship ahead of Mizourov and Kashechkin.[38]
2005 Tour de France
In July 2005, [39], 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.[40]
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.[41] 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 day earlier. 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 final Grand Tour , the Vuelta a España, after losing time in the first mountain stage, Vinokourov went into attack. He lost the 7th stage to Alejandro Valverde, took revenge by winning the 8th and 9th stage and climbing to the 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." [42] 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.[43] He delivered a positive for blood doping on 24 July 2007.[44]
As a result, his Astana Team pulled out after being requested to withdraw by ASO president Patrice Clerc[45]
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."[46]
Vinokourov faced a one-year ban from the sport. The UCI was by the short ban, which let him ride the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [47] It was shorter than for other cyclists found guilty, such as Tyler Hamilton and Ivan Basso. Astana has threatened to sue Vinokourov for damages,[48] 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.
In December 2007, Vinokourov announced his retirement. [49]
Major Achievements
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Kazakhstan
| ||
| Road bicycle racing | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 |
2000 Sydney | Road Race |
| UCI Road World Championships | ||
 |
2006 Salzburg | Elite Men's Time Trial |
| |
2004 Verona | Elite Men's Time Trial |
- 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), Summer Olympics: Men's Road Race
- 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, Kazakhstan National Road Race Championship
- 5th, Overall, Tour de France
- 1st, Stage 11
- 1st, Stage 21
- 2006 – Team Astana
- 1st,
Overall (maillot oro), Vuelta a España
- 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 due to positive homologous blood transfusion test
See also
References
- ^ "Banned Vinokourov quits cycling". BBC Sport. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Lavenu: "On est le Auxerre du cyclisme"". France 2. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ a b c d e "Échappée n°5 . Été 1997 Rencontre avec Alexandre Vinokourov et Andrei Kivilev par Marie Line GONLON". Espoir cycliste St Etienne Loire. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ "Alexander the great". Daily Peloton. Retrieved 2007-07-28.
- ^ a b "In Vino Vertas". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-28.
- ^ "Palmarès du Regio-Tour International". velo-club.net. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ "Men's Olympic road race". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-28.
- ^ "Interview de Jean Niger, directeur d'organisation de l'Essor Breton". velo101.com. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ "Article paru le 19 juillet 197". l’Humanite. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ "2002 Paris-Nice winner biography". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "51st Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
- ^ "Complete live report, Stage 18 Veulta". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
- ^ "2000 Men's Olympic Road Race results and report". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "2001 Tour of Germany stage 7 results and report". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "2002 Paris-Nice Stage 4 results and report". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "2002 Tour de Suisse stage 3 results and report". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "Vinokourov unsure about continuing Tour de Suisse". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "Vinokourov out of Telekom's Tour team". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "Cyclingnews flash Kivilev dies of injuries". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "Cyclingnews Vinokourov more motivated than ever". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "Amstel Gold Race 2003 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "Tour de Suisse 2003 stage 1 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "Tour de Suisse Stage 9 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "Tour de France Stage 20 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ^ "2004 Paris Nice Stage 2 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2004 Paris Nice Stage 5 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2004 Paris Nice Stage 7 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2004 Paris Nice Stage 8 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2004 Liege Bastogne Liege report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2004 Tour de Suisse Stage 2 report and results". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "Cycling news June 15". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "Regio Tour Stage 5 results, report and photos". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "Cycling news September 9th". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "Vuelta a España 2004 Stage 15 results, report and photos". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2004 UCI World Time Trial Championships time trial". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2005 Liege Bastogne Liege". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2005 Criterium de Dauphine Libere stage 4 results, report and photos". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "2005 Kazakhstan National Road Race Championships". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ^ "June 28th interview with Alexandre Vinokourov". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ "2005 Tour de France Stage 11, Courchevel-Briançon". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ "Levi Leipheimer describes how Vinokourov knocked him out of 5th place in the final stage of the 2005 Tour". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
- ^ "A mighty maillot jaune holds - Vino returns with stage win".
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|Publisher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help) - ^ "Alexandre Vinokourov contrôlé positif, Astana Cycling Team se retire du Tour de France".
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|Publisher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help) - ^ "Team says Vinokourov fails dope test". Reuters. 2007-07-24. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Vinokourov positive for transfusion, Astana quits Tour". Cyclingnews. 2007-07-25.
- ^ "Versus Daily Reports, The 94th Tour de France, from July 7th to 29th 2007".
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|Publisher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help) - ^ VeloNews | Thursday's EuroFile: Light Vino' sentence irks UCI; Klöden sticks with Astana; ex-Olympian was informer | The Journal of Competitive Cycling
- ^ Paul Sherwen, Versus TV network commentary (7-26-07)
- ^ "Banned Vinokourov quits cycling". BBC Sport. 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
