![](/img/stub-tengrinews.png)
Kazakhstan professional cyclist Alexandr Vinokourov confirmed his intention to join Astana team again in 2012. Vinokourov is going to participate in the World Tour as a member of Astana team, Tengrinews.kz reports, citing Cycling News. He promised to compete, in spite of all the rumors that Astana management was trying to get rid of him. “I am going to ride in order to prove that I am a real fighter and not the one who gives up immediately. I have established Astana team in 2006. Now I feel that somebody from management of the team is trying to get me out of the way. Apparently I have got in somebody's way. When I was in a hospital, nobody from the team's management visited me. Only my closest friends supported me,” Vinokourov said. Kazakhstan cyclist has already started training after his injury during one of the Tour de France stages. He also marked his thirty eight birthday last week. His goal at the present time is to keep his team. The things that have happened at the last race disturb Vinokourov. Earlier the Tengrinews reported that prominent cyclist announced retirement. He made this statement after he broke his thigh at the ninth Tour de France stage. Astana cycling team in its turn announced the termination of the contract and said that Andrey Kashechkin would substitute his as a leader of the team. However, Vinokourov denied the statement. He hasn't broken off his contract with the team and is going to ride in Tour of Lombardy on October, 15. Later the media reported that Vinokourov's return may cause UCI sanctions against Astana team.
Kazakhstan professional cyclist Alexandr Vinokourov confirmed his intention to join Astana team again in 2012. Vinokourov is going to participate in the World Tour as a member of Astana team, Tengrinews.kz reports, citing Cycling News.
He promised to compete, in spite of all the rumors that Astana management was trying to get rid of him. “I am going to ride in order to prove that I am a real fighter and not the one who gives up immediately. I have established Astana team in 2006. Now I feel that somebody from management of the team is trying to get me out of the way. Apparently I have got in somebody's way. When I was in a hospital, nobody from the team's management visited me. Only my closest friends supported me,” Vinokourov said.
Kazakhstan cyclist has already started training after his injury during one of the Tour de France stages. He also marked his thirty eight birthday last week. His goal at the present time is to keep his team. The things that have happened at the last race disturb Vinokourov.
Earlier the Tengrinews reported that prominent cyclist announced retirement. He made this statement after he broke his thigh at the ninth Tour de France stage. Astana cycling team in its turn announced the termination of the contract and said that Andrey Kashechkin would substitute his as a leader of the team. However, Vinokourov denied the statement. He hasn't broken off his contract with the team and is going to ride in Tour of Lombardy on October, 15. Later the media reported that Vinokourov's return may cause UCI sanctions against Astana team.