Alexandr Vinokurov Cyclist Country: Kazakhstan

Alexander Vinokourov: A Biography of a Kazakhstani Professional Cyclist

Alexander Vinokourov is a professional cyclist from Kazakhstan. He achieved his first career victory in the World Cup on Sunday, winning the famous classic race "Amstel Gold" in Maastricht. He won in a brilliant style, effortlessly leaving behind a group of outstanding professionals. His victory was dedicated to the memory of his tragically deceased best friend, Andrei Kivilev.

40 days had passed since Andrei's death, and throughout the race, Vinokourov thought about him and desperately wanted to win, for him. After crossing the finish line, Vinokourov said, "Today is exactly 40 days since Andrei's death. I was thinking about him throughout the entire race and really wanted to win. For him. I am happy that I managed to do it!" He also confessed that he had been under constant stress for the past month. It is not difficult to understand why, as Kivilev's death, a talented cyclist and a friendly and outgoing guy, after a fatal fall during the second stage of the "Paris-Nice" race, shocked many cyclists. Not to mention the impact it had on someone who had been friends with him for over a decade.

Immediately after hearing the tragic news, Vinokourov boldly stated that he would not withdraw from the "Paris-Nice" stage, as many had assumed. On the contrary, he intended to win the ill-fated multi-day race in honor of Andrei. And he kept his promise. The day before the "Amstel Gold" race, Alexander did not make any declarations and was not even considered one of the favorites. The leader of the German team "Telekom," after Jan Ullrich's departure, always shone exclusively in multi-day races and had never won a single classic one-day race of even mediocre level. Vinokourov only broke through once, at the Sydney Olympics, where he won silver. Ullrich deprived him of the first place then.

Currently, the German is slowly approaching his best form after a break due to a serious injury and disqualification. Realistically assessing his abilities, he did not dare to participate in the "Amstel Gold" race. However, even without Ullrich, there were plenty of contenders for victory. The Italian Michele Bartoli, nicknamed "The Warrior," the Russian Sergey Ivanov, who finished first and second respectively last year, the Dutchman Michael Boogerd, the Italian Francesco Casagrande, the Spaniard Igor Astarloa, the leader of the World Cup Peter Van Petegem, and, of course, the great Lance Armstrong.

The four-time winner of the "Tour de France" always considered the "Amstel Gold" the most beloved of all classic races and regularly participated in it. However, luck never favored him. Twice, "Iron" Lance was just a step away from triumph, but each time he was defeated by his fellow competitors. First, in 1999, it was Boogerd, then in 2001, another Dutchman, Erik Dekker. The determined American came close to success last year but finished only fourth. "I used to be unlucky in sprint finishes. This time, I have a much better chance since the finish is uphill," Armstrong said before the start.

Indeed, as if specifically for Lance, the organizers of the "Amstel Gold" decided to have the finish on the steep Coburg hill for the first time in history. Since the cyclists had to overcome impressive hills throughout the race (the course is fundamentally different from the flat "Paris-Roubaix"), only about ten people remained in the lead group in the final kilometers. Armstrong constantly held the first or second position and seemed to effortlessly control the race. However, Vinokourov's powerful sprint five kilometers before the finish surprised everyone, including the American. Alexander's attack, even before the final climb, seemed suicidal. But while ascending, the Kazakhstani cyclist fiercely pushed an unthinkable gear, which his rivals couldn't catch up to. A demoralized Armstrong finished only eighth. Perhaps because he was fighting only for himself, while Vinokourov was also fighting for that guy.