14 DAY TRIAL // Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan. What does that name tell you? Of course he's a terrific cyclist and a great sportsman, but what are his achievements inside the world of sports? While riding for T-Mobile, he had to be Ullrich's lieutenant. When going to Liberty Seguros, the Kazakh had to face an immense doping scandal: "Puerto Operacion".
Still, he kept on fighting and now - 7 years after he first began professional cycling - Alexander finally clinched a major win in his career. Winning La Vuelta sure got him a place inside the biggest names of sports and avenged his previous failures.
As far as I'm concerned, the first time this Kazakh caught my eye was 5 years ago, in Le Tour. Lance Armstrong's dominance in the French competition was in process, and Beloki seemed the only one capable of putting an end to the American's winning streak.
Still, the Spaniard had some major physical problems during that 2001 Tour de France and Vinokourov stepped in. Without Jan Ullrich in his T-Mobile team, the Kazakh gave it his best shot and almost upset the American. It was for the first time - and last, as specialists said - that Armstrong faced such a competition in winning Le Tour.
The T-Mobile rider went on and finished 2nd overall at Champs Elysees. It was the first time his talent made the world of cycling look a little closer to Alexander. The next year, he finished 3rd in the same race and convinced himself that, with Lance Armstrong in the competition, his chances of winning the Great Boucle are zero.
We press fast forward and reach 2006. One month before the Tour de France gets under way, Liberty Seguras - his new team - was caught up in a major doping scandal because of it's boss, Manolo Saiz. After weeks of investigations and sponsors turning their back at the Pro Tour team, there came another blow for Vino.
The Tour de France organizers banned the whole team from the competition. Vino did not give up though and, thanks to his connections within the Kazakh business world, managed to convince Astana - a Kazakh financial conglomerate - to invest in the team.
The new Astana-Wurth team underwent all drug tests before the Tour de France and it seemed that he will finally get a chance of winning the greatest competition of all. With Jan Ullrich, Lance Armstrong and Ivan Basso out of the Tour, his chances of clinching it were huge.
Still, despite all drug-tests coming out negative, Jean Marie LeBlanc - manager of Le Tour - refused to give Astana Wurth the go-ahead. Another year / another disappointment for Vino?
Well, as it turned out, Le Vuelta was his greatest response to France's failure. Although the Spanish race - that ended this weekend - did not lack Tour de France winner and other major opponents, Vinokourok proved everybody that he is a winner. After fighting Ullrich, Armstrong, Manolo Saiz, Jean-Marie LeBlanc and "Operacion Puerto", the Kazakh finally booked his place in the history of the sport.
With all major contenders participating in this year's La Vuelta, Alexander Vinokourov's win is much more important. First, he proved everybody that winning La Vuelta is as important as winning Le Tour. Second, after winning the Dauphine-Libere, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Le Vuelta - his only purpose in cycling will be the 2007 Tour de France. Should the other cyclists take him under consideration? You decide?