Vintage Vino savours Tour revenge with stunning Alpine win

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2005

BRIANCON, France (AFP) — Alexandre Vinokourov of the T-Mobile team made amends for his collapse on the Tour de France's first day in the Alps by winning the even tougher 11th stage with panache.

Kazakhstan champion Vinokourov, who tumbled down the race's general classification after Tuesday's first day in the high mountains, dominated a two-man sprint to the finish ahead of his Colombian breakaway companion Santiago Botero.

American Lance Armstrong retained the race leader's yellow jersey, but allowed Vinokourov to close the gap slightly in the general classification.

Armstrong, protected by his Discovery Channel teammates throughout what was the toughest day in the Alps, came over the finish line at 1:15.

Vinokourov, who began the race as a...