Vinokourov takes solo stage win

The veteran Kazakh, riding his first Tour since returning to cycling following a doping ban, was one of a number of riders to launch an attack on the third-category Cote de Saint-Ferreol just under eight kilometres from home.

While the likes of former world champion Alessandro Ballan (BMC) and Bouygues Telecom's Thomas Voeckler faded, Vinokourov powered on to finish a full 13 seconds ahead of the peloton.

Nothing changed in the top 10 of the general classification as race leader Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) and Vinokourov's team-mate Alberto Contador finished in the lead group.

HTC-Columbia's Mark Cavendish won the sprint for second to improve his position in the fight for the green jersey, which was won back by Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre), who finished third.

With five third and fourth-category climbs on the parcours, the stage seemed an ideal opportunity for a breakaway, and indeed Sylvain Chavanel (Quickstep), Pierrick Fedrigo (BBox-Bouygues Telecom) and Juan Antonio Flecha (Team Sky) - three genuine breakaway specialists - made their move inside the opening few kilometres.

They built up a lead that rapidly grew out to six minutes over the second climb of the day, the Côte de Begon, though the sprinters' teams desire for one final bunch finish before the Pyrenees became apparent as HTC-Columbia and Lampre moved to the front and upped the tempo.

Gerald Ciolek's Milram team joined them at the head of the pack just over halfway mark to help close the gap, though it was, as ever, the HTC-Columbia team who dominated at the head of the peloton as it headed into the final 30 kilometres.

After being allowed to hang out front as the kilometres ticked down, the lead trio were finally brought back in 11 kilometres from home.

The Cote de Saint-Ferreol, situated just eight kilometres from the stage finish, proved decisive. First Ballan launched an attack at the foot of the slope, before Damiano Cunego (Lampre), Carlos Barredo (Quickstep) and Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) attempted to bridge the gap.

Vinokourov was next to make his move, and while the trio ahead of him faded towards the summit of the climb, he found the strength to kick on to reach and pass the rapidly-tiring Ballan.

While he put his head down and gave it everything he had, Voeckler jumped off the front of the peloton and hurled himself down the descent towards Revel, only to be reeled back in as the road flattened out.

By now, the HTC-Columbia train had dropped off the front to bring Cavendish back from the middle of the pack, leaving Milram to chase down Vinokourov over the final few kilometres.

Perhaps spurred on by the frustration of missing out by a hair's breadth on a stage win yesterday, however, the Kazakh would not be denied, and managed to hold off the pack by enough of a distance to sit up 50 metres from the line and savour his victory.

Sunday's 14th stage sees the fight for the yellow jersey resume in earnest as the race move into the Pyrenees, with a mountain-top finish in Ax-3 Domaines.

Source: eurosport.co.uk