Alexander Vinokourov clinched his second victory of this year’s Tour de France with panache when he won the 196km 15th stage from Foix on Monday.
The Astana rider, who lost all hope of winning the race when he cracked and crashed on Sunday’s 14th stage, went solo 15km from the summit of the Col de Peyresourde to beat Luxembourg’s Kim Kirchen of the T-Mobile team.
Euskaltel rider Haimar Zubeldia of Spain came home third. Overall leader Michael Rasmussen of Denmark retained the yellow jersey.
The Rabobank rider was attacked during the last climb by Spaniard Alberto Contador, second in the overall standings, but managed to resist the Discover Channel rider to maintain his race lead of two minutes and 23 seconds.
Australian Cadel Evans and Germany’s Andreas Kloeden were unable to respond to Contador’s violent burst of speed and they finished 56 seconds behind the pair.
Evans is third, four minutes adrift of Rasmussen, with American Levi Leipheimer fourth 1:25 further behind.
Vinokourov’s teammate Kloeden is fifth, 5:34 off the pace.
”Yesterday [Sunday], I had no strength. I told myself the Tour is over but I got the support of the whole team,” said Vinokourov, who had been back in contention after winning Saturday’s time trial in Albi.
The peloton will rest on Tuesday before Wednesday’s hardest stage in the Pyrenees, a 218,5km ride from Orthez to the Col d’Aubisque. — Reuters