This year's Astana team has arrived to the Tour de France with 100 percent of its focus set on securing Alberto Contador's third overall crown. Yesterday there were questions raised about the finale of the stage where the circumstance saw Alexandre Vinokourov drive the pace in the final kilometer to the detriment of his teammate. Following the development the Kazakh wanted to clear the air publicly.
"I am proud to help Alberto Contador to win his third Tour de France," he maintained. "Since the outset, our understanding is perfect and without question."
Contador rode the last 30 kilometers of stage three with his brake rubbing against his wheel, and by the time they reached the final kilometer he was curiously trailing the chase group being powered home by Vinokourov.
"Unfortunately yesterday on the cobblestones I could not see that he had lost contact in the last few kilometers because I was leading the chase [to close the gap to overall contenders Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) and Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank)].
"With the strong effort to catch up the headphones were useless," he explained. "But there will be other opportunities to show the strength of our cooperation and the solidarity of the Astana team."
It was apparent that Vinokourov rode for his teammate during the critical stage, but he felt the need to confirm the situation, likely because of the isolation Contador experienced as a teammate of seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong on Astana last year. The Kazakh recently returned to the team that was formed for him after serving a two-year suspension for blood doping.
He was booed at the finish line when he won Liège-Bastogne-Liège this past spring, and soon thereafter admitted to his "dark past". Riding selflessly in the service of Contador could help him to help repair his tarnished image, and the fact that he is in a position of power on Astana is likely why he wanted to personally confirm the team's stance.