Alexandre Vinokourov scored his first victory on the Tour de France since completing a doping suspension after a gutsy attack late in the race's 13th stage from Rodez to Revel on Saturday
REVEL (France): Alexandre Vinokourov scored his first victory on the Tour de France since completing a doping suspension after a gutsy attack late in the race's 13th stage from Rodez to Revel on Saturday.
Luxembourg's Andy Schleck, of Saxo Bank, retained the race leader's yellow jersey with his 31sec lead on main rival and reigning champion Alberto Contador intact ahead of Sunday's first stage in the Pyrenees.
Vinokourov, who only returned to racing last year, was delighted with his win after capping a late counter-attack to Italian Alessandro Ballan with a determined drive for the finish line.
|
| Kazakh's Alexandre Vinokourov rides during the 13th stage of the Tour de France race on Saturday. PIC/AFP |
It is his first victory on the race since 2005, when he won two stages as part of the T-Mobile team. "For me, just to be at the Tour de France is a victory. So to win a stage makes me very happy," said Vinokourov, who served a two-year ban after being caught blood doping at the race in 2007.
"When I was racing as an amateur they used to tell me that winning a stage on the Tour is similar to winning the world championships. And that's true.
"So I'm very happy, not just me but for my team, my family and all the people in Kazakhstan." Britain's Mark Cavendish won the sprint for second place, the HTC-Columbia rider thus adding precious points to his tally for the green jersey. Cavendish picked up 30 points to close the gap significantly to rivals Alessandro Petacchi and reigning champion and competition leader Thor Hushovd.
Once again Hushovd finished off the pace, the Norwegian crossing the line in eighth place to collect 18pts. He now has a total of 187pts, with Petacchi on 185 and Cavendish on 162.
