Alexander Vinokourov

Nationality	Kazakh
Born	September 16, 1973
Birthplace	Petropavlovsk, Kazakh SSR
Height	1.76 m
Weight	68 kg
Discipline	Road
Role	All-rounder
Professional debut	1998
Retired	2012

Alexander Vinokourov is a retired Kazakh competitive road cyclist, born on September 16, 1973, in Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan. He was one of the most successful cyclists of his time and is recognized for his aggressive racing style and remarkable climbing prowess.

In his career, Vinokourov rode for numerous teams, including Telekom, Liberty Seguros, and Astana. Vinokourov turned professional in 1998. He was recognized as a dynamic rider who excelled in both one-day classics and stage events.

Vinokourov’s biggest successes came in the Grand Tours. He finished on the Tour de France podium twice, with his best achievement coming in 2003 when he placed third. He also won the Vuelta a España in 2006 and was in the top 10 three times at the Giro d’Italia.

In addition to his success in stage races, Vinokourov also had a number of memorable triumphs in one-day events. In 2005 and 2010, he won the prestigious Liège-Bastogne-Liège race, and in 2012, he won the Olympic road race.

Yet, Vinokourov’s career was not without controversy. At the 2007 Tour de France, he tested positive for blood doping and was thus banned from the sport for two years. He returned to racing in 2009 and won the 2010 Liège-Bastogne-Liège classic, a result that was met with some controversy due to his previous drug ban.

Vinokourov has been the general manager of the Astana-Premier Tech team since his retirement from riding in 2012.

Alexander Vinokourov’s biggest achievements:

Year	Achievement
2003	Tour de France – 3rd place overall
2006	Vuelta a España – 1st place overall
2005	Liège-Bastogne-Liège – 1st place
2006	Amstel Gold Race – 1st place
2008	Olympic Games Road Race – 2nd place
2010	Liège-Bastogne-Liège – 1st place
2010	Commonwealth Games Road Race – 1st place