Twenty-four hours can make a big difference in the world of cycling, and Astana's Alexandre Vinokourov proved just that with his solo win in today's stage thirteen of the Tour de France. Yesterday the Kazakh tried and failed to take home the stage, but the man who is known for his tenacious riding tried his luck again with 8 kilometers remaining, only this time he had the power to finish his attack off with a victory.
"When I saw [Luis Leon] Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) and [Alessandro] Ballan (BMC Racing) [attack], I told myself, I'll try," Vinokourov said after the stage. "It was not planned, but I knew it was not a finish for the sprinters with the last bump, I knew the bump, the Tour had already been here in 2005. I realized that if I had a gap of 15 seconds before the descent it could be a stage win, so I wanted to try."
"Then I countered [the attack] and I found myself alone. I heard [I had a] 10 second gap, then 15 seconds, it went up to 20 I believe, and when I saw that I wasn't caught when I was 150 meters from the line, I realized that I had won the stage," he said.
The previous day saw Vinokourov's advantage wiped away in the final by an attack from Spaniard Joaquin Rodriguez, but it wasn't all bad for the Kazakh team, as teammate Alberto Contador had followed his compatriot and was able to gain back 10 seconds on Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) for the overall. The stage ended up with Rodriguez taking the win, and Contador and Vinokourov taking second and third respectively.
"Sure, yesterday could have been a beautiful team win, I wish we had won together, Alberto and me, and I was a little disappointed that neither one of us had won. It was a great opportunity for the team, and now we can say that today was a nice reward after the efforts and hard work yesterday."
There was frustration in the Astana camp yesterday about not winning the stage. "Alberto was sorry that it didn't work and that we didn’t win the stage, but we discussed [the situation]. I felt a little disappointed, but I told him not to worry, that we would try again," Vinokourov explained.
"Today is a great comeback for the whole team," he said. "I saw that Alberto was very pleased, I think that this victory is important psychologically for the team.
"Yesterday was planned and it didn't work, but today we had nothing planned and it worked, it's often like that," he admitted.
Regardless of the previous day, he was ready to make something happen in the race. "I was tired of the efforts of yesterday, of course, but not in my head," he explained. "The mind was there. Winning a stage was set in my head." Time was running out for the Kazakh, who said that once the race hits the mountains again it would be 100 percent committed to securing Contador's overall crown.
Following his victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège Vinokourov came forward about what he called his "dark years" in cycling. For him, his victory meant something special as a reformed man. "This is is the new Vino, I've already won in Liège, and it was wonderful," he said, but his success there was met by booing from the crowd, which prompted him to admit that he wasn't proud of his past.
"To participate in the Tour, for me it was already a great victory, but to win this stage, I think that there are no words to describe what it represents," he continued. "It is a very good win for my career, it is exceptional, and to win in the Tour brings with it a lot of emotion, even today, as yesterday, I heard lots of encouragement, with people on the side of the road shouting 'Vino', and it is a lot for motivation, it's also why I wanted to try."
He hinted that he may try again if the opportunity knocks. In 2005 he stole the show from the sprinters on the final stage, and may just try it again.
"Who knows," he said about winning another stage, "there is still the Champs-Élysées..."
Vinokourov confirmed 2011 will be his final season if he decides not to retire this year.