08-11.-2009
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  Vinokourov wins time trial at Tour de l'Ain
Vinokourov is back  Quote:
France — Kazakh cyclist Alexandre Vinokourov won the time trial Tuesday at the Tour de l'Ain, his second race following a two-year doping ban.
The 35-year-old Vinokourov, who is riding for the Kazakh national team at the race, comfortably won the 8.8-kilometre sprint around Saint-Genis-Pouilly.
Vinokourov won in nine minutes 50 seconds to beat Dutch rider Michiel Elijzen by 10 seconds. Overall leader Chris Horner of the U.S., was 13 seconds back in third.
The win improved Vinokourov to 22nd place overall, 3:29 behind Horner. The four-day race ends Wednesday.
Last week, Vinokourov competed for the first time since his ban for blood doping ended last month, finishing seventh in the 45-kilometre Castillon-La-Bataille criterium race, also in France.
Vinokourov was banned when racing for Astana at the 2007 Tour de France. He is currently riding for the Kazakh national team as Astana has not yet accepted him back.
That positive test came days after he had won the time trial in Albi, despite riding with stitches in his knees after crashing earlier in the Tour.
Vinokourov has always denied doping during the 2007 Tour.
He finished third at the 2003 Tour and fifth in 2005.
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