Alexander Vinokourov
A fiercely aggressive Kazakh cyclist known for his daring, all-or-nothing attacks that delivered monumental, if sometimes controversial, victories.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Kazakhstani road bicycle racer·Birthday: September 16·Generation X
Biography
Alexander Vinokourov raced with a knife between his teeth. The Kazakh rider's career was a rollercoaster of breathtaking audacity, scandal, and ultimate redemption. His style was pure aggression; he would often launch seemingly suicidal long-range attacks, a tactic that earned him the nickname 'Vino' for the unpredictable, intoxicating nature of his riding. He claimed major wins like the Liège–Bastogne–Liège monument and the 2006 Vuelta a España, but his legacy was forever altered by a positive blood doping test during the 2007 Tour de France, which led to a two-year ban. In a storybook twist, he returned to the sport and, at the age of 38, launched a solo breakaway to win the gold medal in the road race at the 2012 London Olympics, a victory that divided opinion but cemented his status as a complex sporting icon. After retiring, he seamlessly moved into management, taking the helm of the Astana team and shaping its strategy with the same boldness he displayed on the bike.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Alexander was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Olympic gold medal in the men's road race at the 2012 London Games with a solo attack.
- Secured the overall victory at the 2006 Vuelta a España, a Grand Tour.
- Claimed two victories in the prestigious one-day classic Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2005, 2010).
- Earned four stage wins in the Tour de France before being expelled for doping in 2007.
Did You Know?
He famously 'gifted' his win at the 2005 Liège–Bastogne–Liège to his teammate Andreas Klöden, letting him cross the line first, though Klöden insisted Vinokourov take the victory.
His 2012 Olympic gold medal win was part of a two-man breakaway with Rigoberto Urán; Vinokourov attacked in the final kilometer.
He is of Russian ethnicity but has always competed internationally for Kazakhstan.
After retirement, he became the general manager of UCI WorldTeam Astana Qazaqstan Team.
“I race to attack, not to wait for others.”
