Name	Liège
Picture	Liege View 03.jpg
Picture caption	Aerial view of Liège
Map	LuikLocatie.png
Map-legend	The municipality of Liège in the province of Liège
Arms	Blason liege.svg
Flag	LuikVlag.svg
Region
Community
Province
Arrondissement	Liège
Nis	62063
Pyramid-date	01/01/2006
0–19	20.77
20–64	60.63
65	18.60
Foreigners	16.05
Foreigners-date	01/07/2005
Mayor	Willy Demeyer (PS)
Majority	PS – cdH
Postal-codes	4000–4032
Telephone-area	04
Web	www.liege.be
Lat deg	50
Lat min	38
Lon deg	05
Lon min	34

Liège (; , ; ; ; ; until 1949, the city's name was written , with the acute accent instead of a grave accent) is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.

The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse River, near Belgium's eastern borders with the Netherlands and Germany, where the Meuse meets the Ourthe. It is in the former sillon industriel, the industrial backbone of Wallonia. The Liège municipality includes the former communes of Angleur, Bressoux, Chênée, Glain, Grivegnée, Jupille-sur-Meuse, Rocourt, and Wandre.

The city is the principal economic and cultural centre of Wallonia. Liège is, with 194,054 inhabitants as of 1 May 2009, the second most populous city in Wallonia, after Charleroi. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of 1,879 km² and has a total population of 749,110 as of 1 January 2008. This includes a total of 52 municipalities, a.o. Herstal and Seraing, and ranks as the third most populous in Belgium, after Brussels and Antwerp.

After a rebellion against rule from Burgundy that figured prominently in the plot of Sir Walter Scott's 1823 novel Quentin Durward, King Louis XI of France and Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy captured and largely destroyed the city in 1468, after a bitter siege which was ended with a successful surprise attack. Liège was technically still part of the Holy Roman Empire. After 1477, the city came under the rule of the Habsburgs and, after 1555, under Spanish sovereignty, although its immediate rule remained in the hands of its prince-bishops. The reign of Erard de la Marck (1506–1538) coincides with the Renaissance Liégeoise. During the Counter-Reformation, the diocese of Liège was split and progressively lost its role as a regional power. In the 17th century the prince-bishops came from the Bavarian family Wittelsbach. They ruled over Cologne and other bishoprics in the northwest of the Holy Roman Empire as well.

18th century to World War I

The Duke of Marlborough captured the city from the Bavarian prince-bishop and his French allies in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. In the middle of the eighteenth century the ideas of the French encyclopedists began to be received at Liège; Bishop de Velbruck (1772–84), encouraged their propagation and thus prepared the way for the Revolution Liégeoise, which burst upon the episcopal city on 18 August 1789. In the course of the , the French army took the city and imposed a harsh and strongly anticlerical regime, destroying the great cathedral of Saint Lambert. The overthrow of the prince-bishopric was confirmed in 1801 by the Concordat co-signed by Napoléon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII. France lost the city in 1815 when the Congress of Vienna awarded it to the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Dutch rule lasted only until 1830, when the Belgian Revolution led to the establishment of an independent, Catholic and neutral Belgium which incorporated Liège. After this, Liège developed rapidly into a major industrial city which became one of continental Europe's first large-scale steel making centres. The Walloon Jacquerie of 1886 saw a large-scale working class revolt. No less than 6,000 regular troops were called into the city to quell the unrest, while strike spread through the whole sillon industriel.

Liège's fortifications were redesigned by Henri Alexis Brialmont in the 1880s and a chain of twelve forts was constructed around the city to provide defence in depth. This presented a major obstacle to Germany's army in 1914, whose Schlieffen Plan relied on being able to quickly pass through the Meuse valley and the Ardennes en route to France. The German invasion on August 5, 1914 soon reached Liège, which was defended by 30,000 troops under General Gérard Leman (see Battle of Liège). The forts initially held off an attacking force of about 100,000 men but were pulverised into submission by a five-day bombardment by the Germans' 42 cm Big Bertha howitzers. Due to faulty planning of the protection of the underground defense tunnels beneath the main citadel, one direct artillery hit caused a huge explosion, which eventually led to the surrender of the Belgian forces. The Belgian resistance was shorter than had been intended, but the twelve days of delay caused by the siege nonetheless contributed to the eventual failure of the German invasion of France. The city was subsequently occupied by the Germans until the end of the war. Liège received the Légion d'Honneur for its resistance in 1914.

World War II to the present

The Germans returned in 1940, this time taking the forts in only three days. Most Jews were saved, with the help of the sympathising population, as many Jewish children and refugees were hidden in the numerous monasteries. The German occupiers were expelled by the Allies of World War II in September 1944 but Liège was subsequently subjected to intense aerial bombardment, with more than 1,500 V1 and V2 missiles landing in the city between its liberation and the end of the war.

After the war ended, the Royal Question came to the fore, since many saw king Leopold III as collaborating with the Germans during the war. In July 1950, André Renard, leader of the Liégeois FGTB launched the General strike against Leopold III of Belgium and "seized control over the city of Liège". The strike ultimately led to Leopold's abdication.

Liège began to suffer from a relative decline of its industry, particularly the coal industry, and later the steel industry, producing high levels of unemployment and stoking social tension. During the 1960-1961 Winter General Strike, disgruntled workers went on a rampage and severely damaged the central railway station Guillemins. The unrest was so intense that "army troops had to wade through caltrops, trees, concrete blocks, car and crane wrecks to advance. Streets were dug up. Liège saw the worst fighting on 6 January 1961. In all, 75 people were injured during seven hours of street battles."

Liège is also known as a traditionally socialist city. In 1991, powerful Socialist André Cools, a former Deputy Prime Minister, was gunned down in front of his girlfriend's apartment. Many suspected that the assassination was related to a corruption scandal which swept the Socialist Party, and the national government in general, after Cools' death. Two men were sentenced to twenty years in jail in 2004, for involvement in Cools' murder.

Liège has shown some signs of economic recovery in recent years with the opening up of borders within the European Union, surging steel prices, and improved administration. Several new shopping centres have been built, and numerous repairs carried out.

Demographics

As of January 1, 2008, the municipality of Liège has a total population of 190,102.

Economy

In the past, Liège was one of the most important steel-making centres in Europe. Starting in 1817, John Cockerill extensively developed the iron and steel industry. The industrial complex of Seraing was the largest in the world. It once boasted numerous blast furnaces and mills. Although now a mere shadow of its former self, steel production and the manufacture of steel goods remain important.

Liège has also been an important centre for gunsmithing since the Middle ages and the arms industry is still strong with the headquarters of FN Herstal. The economy of the region is now diversified, the most important centres are: Mechanical industries (Aircraft engine and Spacecraft propulsion), space technology, information technology, biotechnology and also production of water, beer or chocolate. A science park south east of the city, near the University of Liège campus, houses spin-offs and high technology businesses.

Transport

Liège is also a very important transport and logistics centre: The city possesses the third largest river port in Europe directly connected to Antwerp, Rotterdam and Germany via the Meuse river and the Albert Canal.

In 2006 Liège Airport was the 8th most important cargo airport in Europe. A new passenger terminal was opened in 2005. It is also the main hub and the headquarter of TNT Airways.

Trains from Liège-Guillemins provide direct railway connections with Brussels, Antwerp, Namur and Charleroi, Luxembourg, Maastricht in the Netherlands, and Aachen in Germany. The city is also connected to the high-speed network. Train times are 40 minutes to Brussels and 2h13 to Paris with the Thalys train. The German ICE links Liège with Aachen, Cologne and Frankfurt. Two new high-speed lines (HSL 2 and HSL 3) have been built to connect Liège to the high-speed network.

The highway network around Liège has 7 branches and is very important for national and international traffic.

Famous inhabitants

Pippin the Younger (in French: Pépin le Bref), King of the Franks (born in Jupille, 8th century)

Charlemagne, King of the Franks, then crowned emperor (birth in Liège uncertain, 8th century)

Alger of Liège, learned priest (11th century)

William of St-Thierry, theologian and mystic (11th century)

Johannes Ciconia (14th century), composer, Master of the Ars Nova

Jean d'Outremeuse, writer and historian (14th century)

Jacques Arcadelt, composer (16th century)

Hubert Naich, composer (16th century)

Lambert Lombard, painter (1505–1566)

Theodor de Bry, engraver (1528–1598)

Louis De Geer Introducer of Walloon Blast furnaces in Sweden (1587–1652]

Linus of Liège (1595–1675) Counter-reformation critic of Isaac Newton

Gérard de Lairesse, painter (1640–1711)

André Ernest Modeste Grétry, composer (1741–1813)

Hubert Joseph Walther Frère-Orban, statesman (1812–1896)

César Franck, composer (1822–1890)

Zénobe Gramme, inventor (1826–1901)

José Dupuis, creator of many roles in Offenbach's opéras-bouffes (1833–1900)

Georges Nagelmackers founder of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (1845–1905)

Eugène Ysaÿe, composer and violinist (1858–1931)

Emile Digneffe, lawyer and politician (1858–1937)

Gustave Serrurier-Bovy Architect and furniture designer (1858–1910]]

Charles Magnette, lawyer and politician (1863–1937)

Richard Heintz, Post-Impressionist painter (1871–1929)

Louis Dewis, Post-Impressionist painter (1872–1946)

Joseph Jongen, organist, composer, and educator (1873–1953)

Marie Delcourt, Professor at the University, expert of the ancient Greek religion, Walloon movement activist (1891–1979)

Jean Rey Old Minister, Walloon movement activist second President of the European Commission (1902–1983)

Georges Simenon, novelist (1903–1989)

Stanislas-André Steeman, writer (1908–1970)

Henri Pousseur composer (1929–2009)

Violetta Villas, singer and actress (1938–)

Jean-Maurice Dehousse Politician, Walloon movement activists, first Minister-President of the Walloon Region

Gary Hartstein, M.D. Formula 1 (1955–)

Groupe µ, team of scientists.

Nicolas Ancion, writer (1971–)

Sandra Kim, winner of the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest for Belgium (1972–)

Philippe Léonard, football player (1974–)

Marie Gillain, International actress (1975–)

Justine Henin, top ranked female tennis player (1982–)

Axel Hervelle, basketball player (1983–)

Axel Witsel (1989–), Soccer Player

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Liège is twinned with:

See also

railway station]]

University of Liège

Liège Science Park

Bishop of Liège

Liège–Bastogne–Liège

Ratherius

Liège Island, Antarctica, named after the city

References

;Notes

External links

Official

:* (Wallonian) Official website of the city of Liège :* Liège congres :* Leodium: the touristic and cultural network

Others

:* Christmas market of Liège :* Discover Liège (Eupedia) :* Liège photo gallery

Category:Municipalities of Liège Category:Populated places in Belgium Category:Provincial capitals of Wallonia

Name	Alexander VinokourovАлексaндр Винокуров
Fullname	Alexander Nikolaivich Vinokourov Алексaндр Николаевич Винокуров
Nickname	Vino
Birth date	September 16, 1973
Birth place	Petropavl, Kazakhstan
Currentteam	Retired
Height
Weight
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Ridertype	All-rounder
Proyears	1998–19992000–20052006 20072009–2011
Proteams
Majorwins	Grand Tours
Updated	April 22, 2010

}} Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, (, born September 16, 1973 in Petropavlovsk) is an ethnically Russian, but Kazakhstani by nationality, former professional road bicycle racer, an all-rounder. He is often called "Vino". Vinokourov was banned for a year for blood doping during the 2007 Tour de France and so retired. In September 2008 he said he would return to cycling in 2009. In August 2009, Vinokourov began riding at the professional level again, rejoining the team. He took victory in the 2010 Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and in the 13th stage to Ravel in the 2010 Tour de France. Vinokourov retired for good in 2011 after breaking his femur as a result of a crash in the 2011 Tour de France.

Early amateur career

Vincent Lavenu, who offered Vinokourov his first professional contract, said Vinokourov was training every day at 11 and competed in cyclo-cross. Other accounts say he started at 13. In 1986, aged 13, Vinokourov became an athlete at the sports school in the Almaty, then capital of Kazakhstan. The school was based on those in the Soviet Union. Vinokourov trained at the school for five years.

Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union and Vinokourov trained to compete with the Soviet national team. Around this time, he did his two-year military service. Other notable performances included winning two stages at the 1995 Tour of Ecuador and the 1996 Tour of Slovenia. He competed in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and finished 53rd.

Amateur career at Espoir cycliste St-Etienne Loire

Gilles Mas, directeur sportif of the Agrigel-La Creuse team, received a letter in winter 1996 from the trainer of the Kazakh team, who wanted to place six riders in professional teams. Mas tried two on condition they rode for the amateur Espoir Cycliste Saint-Etienne Loire (ECSEL) for a year. Mas and Pierre Rivory, of ECSEL, choose Andrey Mizurov and Vinokourov. Mizurov did not want to leave Kazakhstan. the Essor Breton.

Early professional career

Vinokourov won six races in his first year, including the Four Days of Dunkirk, Tour de l'Oise, and stages in the Tour of Poland and Circuit des Mines. He won the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana stage race at the start of 1999 and three months later two stages of the Midi Libre. He won the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, beating the American, Jonathan Vaughters. Vinokourov lost the yellow jersey to Vaughters after the Mont Ventoux time trial but regained it on the following mountain stage. After this display, he was seen as a potential future tour contender.

In 2000 he joined . He won the combination competition in Paris–Nice and finished third in the Critérium International. He came second several weeks later in the Olympic Games behind Ullrich and in front of another Telekom teammate, Andreas Kloden.

Vinokourov time-trialed to a stage win in the 2001 Deutschland Tour and took the yellow jersey from his Telekom teammate Erik Zabel. The dominance of the Telekom team was evident the following day when Rolf Aldag won and Vinokourov gained a minute and a half over the peloton to ensure victory. He rode the Tour de France that year in support of Ullrich, where he finished 16th overall.

Vinokourov won Paris–Nice in 2002, taking the leader's jersey after attacking Laurent Jalabert and Andrei Kivilev on Mont Faron. The penultimate stage to the Col d’Eze, a mountaintop finish, Vinokourov kept his lead and won Paris–Nice the following day. Later in 2002, he won the first mountain stage in the Tour de Suisse but several stages later he fell on a mountain descent and was taken to hospital after the stage. He abandoned the race to prepare for the Tour but it was discovered two weeks later that he had a broken coccyx and could not ride the 2002 Tour de France. Due to the absence of Ullrich for Team Telekom, Vinokourov was to be the leader that year.

2003 – the breakthrough year

A crash on the second stage of the 2003 Paris–Nice (won by Davide Rebellin ahead of Vinokourov and Dario Frigo) brought down Andrei Kivilev and two other riders. Kivilev fell into a coma and died during the night. Vinokourov was shocked and said he was more motivated than ever to win. The following day Vinokourov attacked on Mont Faron to win and take the leader’s jersey. It was an emotional win in which he pointed to the sky. Two days later, Vinokourov won Paris–Nice and held up a photograph of Kivilev on the podium.

Forty days later, after the traditional period for mourning in Kazakhstan, Vinokourov won the Amstel Gold Race. He reached the leaders group with 10 kilometres left and got away at five kilometres He built 15 seconds that he fought to maintain up the steep Cauberg hill, winning four seconds ahead of Michael Boogerd.

Vinokourov attacked on the flat first stage of the 2003 Tour de Suisse and only the Russian, Serguei Ivanov, could match him. Vinokourov won the stage and took the lead. Francesco Casagrande dropped Vinokourov on the first mountain stage and closed the gap to six seconds. Casagrande attacked again on the following mountain stage and took the jersey. But Casagrande cracked several days later in an individual time trial as Vinokourov finished fifth to retake the jersey and win the race.

Vinokourov was for the first time riding to win in the 2003 Tour de France. He was to share this role in his team with the Columbian, Santiago Botero. Vinokourov finished second on the stage to the l'Alpe d'Huez. He attacked the following day on the final climb 9 km from the finish and won the stage. He moved into second overall 21 seconds short of Lance Armstrong. Several days later in the individual time trial, won by Ullrich, Vinokourov took third position and kept it to the end. He was voted the most combative rider.

2004

Vinokourov missed the break on the second stage of the 2004 Paris–Nice that gained five minutes. but he won three stages. He attacked towards the end of a small climb on the fifth stage with 8 km to go. He built ten seconds and won by four seconds. He dedicated the win to Kivilev. Vinokourov attacked the lead group on the flat windy coastal road in the finale of stage 7,with 5 km to go. He caught and passed Samuel Sánchez with 2 km to go and won the stage. Vinokourov won the final stage in a breakaway sprint against Denis Menchov .

Vinokourov came third in Liège–Bastogne–Liège, behind Davide Rebellin and Michael Boogerd. Boogerd and Vinokourov had been matching each other while Rebellin waited for the sprint and won. Vinokourov crashed on the second stage of the Tour de Suisse, tearing ligaments in his shoulder. That stopped his riding the 2004 Tour de France.

He returned for the Regio Tour at the start of August. In the second stage, he won the time trial. In the following stage, he won the bunch sprint and took the leader’s jersey to win. He then rode the Vuelta a España but due to food poisoning lost time during the first week. Vinokourov recovered and finished fourth in the time trial. He rode the world championship and took the bronze medal in the time trial.

2005 Season

Vinokourov’s first win in 2005 and the first for the team was Liège–Bastogne–Liège. He broke away with Jens Voigt with more than 50 km to go. Vinokourov attacked on the final short climb 6 km from the finish but could not get away from Voigt. Instead he waited and beat Voigt in the sprint. In the Dauphiné Libéré, Vinokourov won the stage on Mont Ventoux. He had attacked the favourites for the Tour de France, reaching the breakaway before attacking at several hundred metres on the uphill finish to win the stage. Vinokourov travelled back to Kazakhstan to win the national championship ahead of Mizourov and Kashechkin.

2005 Tour de France

Vinokourov said in July 2005 that he was in as good condition as 2003, when he came third. Vinokourov said he was riding "for the team". The implication was that he would be leader if he or Andreas Klöden (second in 2004) rode better than Ullrich. Vinokourov came third in the opening time trial, beating Ullrich and Klöden by 15 seconds and 1:08. The American, Lance Armstrong, followed Vinokourov's attacks on stage 8 but let Klöden go. Vinokourov rode separately from his teammates, bringing speculation regarding Ullrich's role in the team.

Vinokourov lost time in the mountains. Revenge came when he won stage 11 in a break, outsprinting Santiago Botero.

Tension between Vinokourov and his team boiled on stage 14 into the Pyrenees where Vinokourov was dropped. He chased for 20 km and then attacked, but Kloden and Ullrich reeled him in, bringing criticism of T-Mobile's tactics which were apparently just to support Ullrich. Vinokourov settled his differences when he won stage 21 to Paris.

After 3rd place in the time trial in the penultimate stage, losing time to only Armstrong and Ullrich, Vinokourov moved to 6th, trailing Levi Leipheimer in 5th by two seconds. The final stage, usually a formality, became a showdown between Vinokourov and Leipheimer. A sprint prime with time bonuses came at 75 km in Châteny-Malabry. Leipheimer and his Gerolsteiner team came to the front. Leipheimer needed to prevent Vinokourov from getting it. Gerolsteiner set a fast tempo to discourage Vinokourov. But 1.5 km from the sprint, Vinokourov attacked. Soon only Leipheimer could hold his wheel, but he was not able to pass and so Vinokourov gained six seconds, Leipheimer four. Leipheimer was ahead only by a fraction of a second. When they reached Paris officials stopped the clock due to dangerous conditions (the cobblestone road was wet and slippery from rain), and the final sprint prime was cancelled.

Leipheimer said he was informed that normal bonus time for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place on the stage would also not be awarded. He and others thought Leipheimer had 5th place. In the final kilometers, several riders broke clear but were caught. Then, as the pace was increasing, Vinokourov moved to the front. With 2 km remaining, Laurent Brochard attacked and Vinokourov jumped on his wheel. A few seconds later Brad McGee closed the gap. When Brochard cracked, McGee moved to the front, but Vinokourov followed. They achieved a gap that could not be closed. McGee zigged and zagged, making Vinokourov work, but Vinokourov found enough power to pull around McGee and win.

That was victory made of courage and guts – I really gave it all in the last kilometres, although I didn't think it was possible until I crossed the line. I just went 'à bloc' – it's unbelievable, magnificent! I have no words for it...I did think a lot about Kivilev yesterday in St. Etienne, and I think that motivated me even more. I'm very happy to win.

Tour officials awarded time bonuses after all, so Vinokourov gained 20 seconds to put him into 5th place. As his contract with T-Mobile was up in 2005, many speculated which team he would join, and whether it would give him full support in 2006. The team turned out to be Manolo Saiz's team.

Astana-Würth Team

Liberty Seguros withdrew sponsorship on 25 May 2006 after the arrest of Manolo Saiz relating to blood doping. A coalition of companies from Kazakhstan took over sponsorship, now called . On June 30, 2006, Astana-Würth withdrew from the 2006 Tour de France after five riders were implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case, leaving Vinokourov, one of the favorites, with three teammates, below the required six riders. Vinokourov was never accused or implicated.

In the Vuelta a España, the team was known simply as after Würth departed sponsorship. After losing time in the first mountains, Vinokourov went into attack. He lost the 7th stage to Alejandro Valverde, took revenge by winning the 8th and 9th stages and climbed to 5th place at the end of the first week. After a good time trial, and aggressive climbing on stages 17 & 18 (stage 18 was won by Kashechkin), Vinokourov took first place and claimed the gold jersey from Valverde. After a strong time trial, his 3rd stage victory, Vinokourov won the Vuelta.

2007 Tour de France

In the 2007 Tour de France, Vinokourov rode for a new team backed by the same Kazakh sponsors who had taken over Liberty Seguros in 2006. This team was also known as . Vinokourov was aiming for victory in the Tour de France. After riding the Dauphiné Libéré, he started the 2007 Tour on July 7 in London. Vinokourov fell in the first week, injuring both knees. He lost time in the Alps, and fell from the list of contenders.

After being written off, Vinokourov won the first individual time trial by 1:14 from Cadel Evans. Vinokourov said: "I am happy with my performance, I am finding my legs again. Now I want to attack in the Pyrénées. I want to thank everyone in and around the team that encouraged me to get through the Alps." He also secured a win in stage 15, a mountain stage finishing in Loudenvielle.

The following day, on July 24, Vinokourov failed the doping control following his time trial victory. His blood had a double population of erythrocytes, which implied a homologous transfusion. He delivered a positive for blood doping on 24 July 2007.

As a result, his team pulled out after being requested to withdraw by ASO president Patrice Clerc

Vinokourov's B sample came back positive a few days later, and Cadel Evans was declared winner of stage 13. Vinokourov was stripped of his stage 15 victory, which was awarded to Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg. According to Phil Liggett, long-time commentator for the Tour, "It is incomprehensible that Vinokourov could do such a thing when he must have known he was under suspicion because of his dealing with disgraced doctor Michele Ferrari in Italy. He must have known he would be tested at every opportunity, and the time trial was the perfect occasion."

Vinokourov received a one-year suspension from the Kazakhstan cycling federation The UCI was angered by the short ban—a lighter sentence than those received by other cyclists found guilty, such as Tyler Hamilton and Ivan Basso--which would allow him to ride in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Astana has threatened to sue Vinokourov for damages, as has Cadel Evans and team Predictor-Lotto, due to the publicity they lost for Evans not being named the winner at the time of the stage.

In December 2007, Vinokourov announced his retirement. The case was retabled and the CAS said the ban would expire on 24 July 2009.

Vinokourov made his comeback in Tour de l'Ain in August 2009, riding for Kazakhstan. In the third stage, a time trial over 8.6 km, he won his first race after his ban. Vinokourov re-joined Astana on 24 August 2009 and was named for the 2009 Vuelta a España.

Vinokourov won the 2010 Liège–Bastogne–Liège, six seconds clear of Russia's Alexandr Kolobnev with Spain's Alejandro Valverde third.

2011

In the 9th stage of the Tour de France 2011 Vinokourov fell and broke his right femur. On July the 17th 2011 his retirement from professional cycling was announced, unofficially and without comment, on Twitter pages by fellow cyclists. Later that day he confirmed his retirement. He intends to become part of the management staff for the Astana team.

Palmarès

;1998 –

1st Overall, Four Days of Dunkirk

1st Overall, Tour de Picardie

* 1st, Stage 2a

1st Overall, Circuit de Lorraine

* 1st, Stage 4

1st, Stage 6, Tour de Pologne

2nd Overall, Vuelta a Murcia

2nd, Grand Prix de la Ville de Lillers

;1999 – 1st Overall, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

* 1st, Stage 2

1st Overall, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

* 1st, Stage 5b

2nd Overall, Grand Prix du Midi Libre

* 1st, Stage 2

* 1st, Stage 6

1st, Stage 3, Tour du Limousin

;2000 –

1st, Stage 18, Vuelta a España

1st, Stage 1 (TTT), Tour de Suisse

2nd , Summer Olympics: Men's Road Race

3rd Overall, Critérium International

;2001 – 1st Overall, Deutschland Tour

* 1st, Stage 6

1st, Stage 4, Tour de Suisse

;2002 – 1st Overall, Paris–Nice

* 1st, Stage 4

1st, Stage 3, Tour de Suisse

;2003 –

1st, Amstel Gold Race

1st Overall, Paris–Nice

* 1st, Stage 5

1st Overall, Tour de Suisse

* 1st, Stage 1

3rd Overall, Tour de France

* 1st, Stage 9

3rd Overall, Deutschland Tour

;2004 –

1st Overall, Regio-Tour

* 1st, Stage 2

* 1st, Stage 3

1st, Stage 5, Paris–Nice

1st, Stage 7, Paris–Nice

1st, Stage 8, Paris–Nice

3rd, UCI Road World Championships Time Trial

3rd, Liège–Bastogne–Liège

;2005 –

1st, Liège–Bastogne–Liège

1st, National Road Race Championship

1st, Stage 4, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

5th Overall, Tour de France

* 1st, Stage 11

* 1st, Stage 21

;2006 – 1st Overall, Vuelta a España

1st, Combination classification

* 1st, Stage 8

* 1st, Stage 9

* 1st, Stage 20

1st Overall, Vuelta a Castilla y León

* 1st, Stage 5

3rd, UCI Road World Championships Time Trial

;2007 – 1st Points classification, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

* 1st, Stage 3

* 1st, Stage 7

3rd Overall, Tirreno–Adriatico

;2009 –

1st, Chrono des Nations

1st, Asian Cycling Championships Time Trial

1st, Stage 3b, Tour de l'Ain

;2010 –

1st Stage 13 Tour de France

1st Overall, Giro del Trentino

* 1st, Stage 1 (ITT)

1st, Liège–Bastogne–Liège

2nd, Clásica de San Sebastián

;2011 –

1st, Stage 3, Tour of the Basque Country

3rd Overall, Tour de Romandie

* 1st, Stage 3

Grand Tour General Classification results timeline

{| cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 95%; border: #aaa solid 1px; border-collapse: collapse;" |- style="background:#eee;" !Grand Tour !1999 !2000 !2001 !2002 !2003 !2004 !2005 !2006 !2007 !2008 !2009 !2010 !2011 |- | style="text-align:left; background:#efefef;"| Giro |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" style="background:#ddddff;"|6 |align="center" |-

|- | style="text-align:left; background:#efefef;"| Tour |align="center" |35 |align="center" |15 |align="center" |16 |align="center" |- |align="center" style="background:#ddddff;"|3 |align="center" |- |align="center" style="background:#ddddff;"|5 |align="center" |11 |align="center" |WD |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |16 |align="center" |WD |- | style="text-align:left; background:#efefef;"| Vuelta |align="center" |- |align="center" |28 |align="center" |- |align="center" |WD |align="center" |- |align="center" |WD |align="center" |- |align="center" bgcolor=gold |1 |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |WD |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |}

WD = withdrew

See also

List of doping cases in cycling

List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References

External links

Alexander Vinokourov profile

Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:People from Petropavl Category:Cyclists at the 1996 Summer Olympics Category:Cyclists at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Cyclists at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Doping cases in cycling Category:Kazakhstani cyclists Category:Olympic cyclists of Kazakhstan Category:Olympic silver medalists for Kazakhstan Category:Tour de France Champs Elysées stage winners Category:Kazakhstani Tour de France stage winners Category:Vuelta a España stage winners Category:Vuelta a España winners Category:Tour de Suisse stage winners Category:Olympic medalists in cycling