A year after ban,Vino redeems himself

Alexandre Vinokourov enjoyed swift redemption when he surged in the final climb to Revel to win the 13th stage of the Tour de France on Saturday. The Kazakh,right-hand man to defending champion Alberto Contador,had narrowly missed victory in Mende on Friday when he was caught one kilometre from the line by Contador. There was a …

Alexandre Vinokourov enjoyed swift redemption when he surged in the final climb to Revel to win the 13th stage of the Tour de France on Saturday. The Kazakh,right-hand man to defending champion Alberto Contador,had narrowly missed victory in Mende on Friday when he was caught one kilometre from the line by Contador. There was a little something missing from yesterday but thats cycling, Vino told reporters after crossing the line 13 seconds before the peloton. Briton Mark Cavendish outsprinted the main bunch to take second place in the 196-km ride ahead of Italian Alessandro Petacchi.

I decided to try again and this is a great reward, Vinokourov added. After the finish line,he fell into the arms of Contador with tears in his eyes. I am extremely happy, Contador said. When he jumped from the pack,I tried to get to the front of the peloton to slow their pace. He won and Im more happy than if Id won myself.

Vinokourovs victory continued a tradition in Revel,for the previous five stage winners in the south-western town near Toulouse were escapees. It was his fourth Tour victory after two in 2005 and one in 2003. He also won two stages in 2007 but those victories were erased from the record books after he failed a drugs test for a blood transfusion.

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He came back from a two-year suspension in August last year and signalled his return to form by winning his second Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic. I showed how hard I worked during my two-year ban and that I was still capable of winning, he said.

In the week to come,the 2006 Spanish Vuelta winner will return to his role as Contadors main aide in the Pyrenees as the Spaniard battles race leader Andy Schleck. Sundays 184.5-kms 14th stage takes the bunch to the ski resort of Ax 3 Domaines after two demanding climbs,including the intimidating Port de Pailheres 30 kms from the finish.

Alberto is going to be strong,for sure, Schleck said. I saw him this morning and he told me,Lets stay quiet today and well battle tomorrow. Im a little bit nervous because tomorrow is the first stage in the Pyrenees and the Tour enters its decisive week.