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Vino wins and moves closer to Romandie dream

Oct 20, 2009
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<p>Alexandre Vinokourov highlighted his spring campaign with a win at the Tour de Romandie today in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The race is an important objective for him prior to taking a break and re-focusing on the Tour de France.</p><p>
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"I came here," said Vinokourov, "to win the overall."</p><p>
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He moved a step closer yesterday and today. He finished third behind Damiano Cunego and Cadel Evans yesterday, and, more importantly, put time into many of his rivals. On the northern shores of Lake Neuchâtel, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland today, he moved even closer. He finished on the same time as his direct rivals – Cadel Evans and Pavel Brutt – but earned an extra 10 bonus seconds for his win.</p><p>
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Vinokourov is now second overall ahead of tomorrow's crucial 20.1-kilometre time trial. The Kazakh trails race leader Brutt by 32 seconds. He leads Italian Cunego (Lampre-ISD) by six seconds and, more importantly, Australia's Evans (BMC) by 10 seconds.</p><p>
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"I don't think Brutt will keep his jersey after a time trial of 20 kilometres. 32 seconds is not enough," Vino said. "I think he has lost strength after the first two stages of the race, but we never know."</p><p>
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The time trial course from Aubonne to Signal-de-Bougy, west of Lausanne, rises steadily from start to finish, nearly 200 metres. Vinokourov reckons the "false flat" stage will give him an advantage over Evans.</p><p>
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Evans, though, is no rookie. He clinched the overall victory at the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race last month in a time trial.</p><p>
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"I've had lots of close calls in second place, the biggest lose was at the Tour, by just 51 seconds," said Evans after Tirreno-Adriatico. "It's help to have experience, knowing who to watch and when to expend your energy and when to hold back."</p><p>
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"I know," added Vinokourov, "he's in great shape. It will all be played out during the time trial tomorrow."</p><p>
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He proved he's ready for the fight, however, in his first Tour de Romandie. He started the stage today still upset about yesterday's loss and really with no plan of winning. Honestly, he said later, he wanted to save energy for the time trial.</p><p>
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Vinokourov being Vinokourov, though, he had to try. He's known as one of the most aggressive riders around, a quality that's earned him four stages at the Tour de France, the Vuelta a España overall title and twice, the Liège-Bastogne-Liège one-day classic. He's also bagged numerous week-long stage races: the Dauphiné Libéré, the Tour of Germany, Dauphiné Libéré, Paris-Nice, the Tour of Switzerland and last year, the Giro del Trentino.</p><p>
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He hesitated and then responded to an attack by German Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad) in the final three kilometres. Martin is a renowned time trial rider, won the Paris-Nice last month and if he gained time, he could have been in position to win the overall. Vinokourov neutralised him and at 500 metres remaining, when the bunch was nearing, attacked.</p><p>
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Mickaël Chérel (AG2R La Mondiale) took second place and Martin third.</p><p>
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"I've always been a rider who attacks, since the beginning of my career I have always attacked," he added, "but now with experience, I feel the race and I can recognise the right moment to go."</p><p>
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Vinokourov's moment to add another important stage race win to his already illustrious palmarès is tomorrow. Providing he can hold back Evans and gain time on Brutt, he only needs to survive the final day's stage to Geneva.</p><p>
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"It's my last year, and winning Romandie would be icing on the cake."</p>

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