Vinokourov protests innocence over doping claims

Vinokourov's Team Astana withdrew from the Tour following the pre-race favourite's positive test.

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The 33-year-old Kazakh rider - who won Saturday's 13th stage, a time trial in Albi - reportedly had two different kinds of blood globules, which indicates he has had a transfusion from someone of a compatible group.

But he insists he has done nothing wrong, telling French sports daily L'Equipe: "It's a mistake. I never doped, that's not the way I see my profession.

"I think it's a mistake in part due to my crash. I have spoken to the team doctors who had a hypothesis that there was an enormous amount of blood in my thighs, which could have led to my positive test."

Vinokourov also claimed he and his team have been victimised.

He added: "It's been going on for months and today they're managing to demolish me.

"The setting-up of our team made a lot of people jealous and now we're paying the price. It's a shame to leave the Tour this way, but I don't want to waste time in proving my innocence."

Astana's decision also rules Germany's Andreas Kloden and Vinokourov's compatriot Andrey Kashechkin - who were lying fifth and eighth overall - out of the race.

A statement from Astana read: "The anti-doping control on Alexandre Vinokourov, that had been done on July 21 after the time-trial in Albi, has been positively controlled.

"According to the ethical code of the Astana Cycling Team, Alexandre Vinokourov has been suspended with immediate effect. The rider asked nevertheless for a B analysis.

"Informed by the Astana management, the organisers of the Tour de France invited the team to withdraw - which was immediately accepted."

The latest development deepens the state of crisis in which the sport finds itself, with Tour leader Michael Rasmussen also embroiled in a fresh doping row.

Rasmussen is accused of failing to inform drug testers of his whereabouts on four separate occasions.

Failure to do so three times constitutes a positive test under International Cycling Union (UCI) rules and should bring about a two-year suspension.

The row has further tarnished a sport still reeling from last year's winner Floyd Landis testing positive for excessive levels of testosterone, a result he is currently contesting.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme has urged riders to stay clean for the good of the sport, but recognises this will need a "revolution".

He said: "The start in London was a formidable occasion to re-conquer. It has failed.

"The riders have to understand that they are playing a game of Russian roulette if they are doping.

"They have to realise that we will never give up the war against doping in which we are involved.

"Doping ruins our childhood dreams. Vinokourov has cheated and the only possible answer was: leave!

"It's an absolute failure of the system. It has to change now. The re-conquering of cycling has to be done with the Tour de France.

"I started this job believing that we could change this system but it's not enough: there has to be a revolution!"