First Grand Tour for Vinokourov; another stage win for Zabel
It's been a rollercoaster 2006 for Alexandre Vinokourov but both his year and his career reached a high point in Madrid today when the 33 year old Kazakhstani rider won the Vuelta a España. The Astana rider stayed out of trouble and finished in the main bunch, wheeling across the line to the backslaps and congratulations of teammates and fellow professionals.
It was a proud moment for Vino and compatriot Andrey Kashechkin , who stood on the podium with Alejandro Valverde while hearing the Kazakh national anthem playing out to the large, appreciative crowd. Having previously finished third and fifth in the Tour de France, taking his first Grand Tour is a major achievement.
"It was a hard tour," he told Spanish Onda Cero radio afterwards. "A three week tour is always difficult. I am happy this year; things were alright. I felt better every day. The whole team did a good job, so for us it is a good victory.
"Valverde was a great rival for me. I chose good moments to attack him. Overall, I was very happy to ride the Vuelta after not riding the Tour [de France]. It is a revenge for me and it is also a victory for this team."
Valverde was gracious in defeat, despite his disappointment. "I was very close but he won, he was very strong. There was nothing I could do. It was a very nice Vuelta, very cheerful from beginning to end. It is also important that the media talked about cycling [rather than doping - ed.]. It was a great race with a super rhythm and I think the fans liked it."
Apart from Vinokourov, another rider in light blue took his own big victory under the clear skies of the Spanish capital. 36 year-old Erik Zabel showed he is by no means over the hill when he scooped his second stage win of the race, beating points classification victor Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) and Aurélien Clerc (Phonak Hearing Systems) in the frenzied dash to the line. The German rider salvaged an otherwise disappointing Vuelta for his squad, the Milram riders having lost Alessandro Petacchi when he came off worst in a fistfight with a team bus one week ago.
"I am very happy to win this," he said afterwards. "I had five second places in the Tour de France, one in Milan (Giro d'Italia) and two in Madrid, so this win means a lot for me.
"The bend before the finish was the most important part of this sprint, you had to be in the right place. I saw Horrillo go after the bend but my team made a big effort to get him back. In particular, Marco Velo was very impressive, and that helped me a lot."
Zabel confirmed that he will head the German team at the World's. "It is a big honour for me to lead the team. I think that the other riders will work very well and I hope we have a great race."
It was a proud moment for Vino and compatriot Andrey Kashechkin , who stood on the podium with Alejandro Valverde while hearing the Kazakh national anthem playing out to the large, appreciative crowd. Having previously finished third and fifth in the Tour de France, taking his first Grand Tour is a major achievement.
"It was a hard tour," he told Spanish Onda Cero radio afterwards. "A three week tour is always difficult. I am happy this year; things were alright. I felt better every day. The whole team did a good job, so for us it is a good victory.
"Valverde was a great rival for me. I chose good moments to attack him. Overall, I was very happy to ride the Vuelta after not riding the Tour [de France]. It is a revenge for me and it is also a victory for this team."
Valverde was gracious in defeat, despite his disappointment. "I was very close but he won, he was very strong. There was nothing I could do. It was a very nice Vuelta, very cheerful from beginning to end. It is also important that the media talked about cycling [rather than doping - ed.]. It was a great race with a super rhythm and I think the fans liked it."
Apart from Vinokourov, another rider in light blue took his own big victory under the clear skies of the Spanish capital. 36 year-old Erik Zabel showed he is by no means over the hill when he scooped his second stage win of the race, beating points classification victor Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) and Aurélien Clerc (Phonak Hearing Systems) in the frenzied dash to the line. The German rider salvaged an otherwise disappointing Vuelta for his squad, the Milram riders having lost Alessandro Petacchi when he came off worst in a fistfight with a team bus one week ago.
"I am very happy to win this," he said afterwards. "I had five second places in the Tour de France, one in Milan (Giro d'Italia) and two in Madrid, so this win means a lot for me.
"The bend before the finish was the most important part of this sprint, you had to be in the right place. I saw Horrillo go after the bend but my team made a big effort to get him back. In particular, Marco Velo was very impressive, and that helped me a lot."
Zabel confirmed that he will head the German team at the World's. "It is a big honour for me to lead the team. I think that the other riders will work very well and I hope we have a great race."
posted by Marc at 10:44 AM
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