Alexandre Vinokourov said he will be targeting Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Giro d'Italia in 2010 at Friday’s team Astana press conference in Pisa, Italy. The Kazakh rider has also pointed to helping teammate Alberto Contador secure a third Tour de France win.
"I am giving myself 100 per cent to the Giro now and then I hope I am going to the Tour de France. For me it would be a big pleasure to return to the Tour of France. I want to help Alberto Contador win," explained Vinokourov.
“I will start the Giro for the first time,” he said, “I will be at the start with no pressure. The many mountain stages and lack of long time trial does not play in my favor. But I will go day by day – if I have good condition and motivation than maybe I can arrive on the podium. Otherwise I will go for a stage win.”
Vinokourov hopes that the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), owner of the Ardenne classic and the Tour will let him compete in their events despite his positive test for blood doping in the 2007 Tour de France that resulted in a two year suspension.
“Astana has a ProTour license and should therefore be allowed to start everywhere, including in the Tour. I want to go to help Contador with his third Tour de France victory,” said the former winner of Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Vinokourov, 36, was responsible for the creation of team Astana back in 2006. He found financial investors from Kazakhstan to replace Liberty Seguros when they pulled their sponsorship due to team manager Manolo Saiz’ involvement in Operación Puerto.