After almost a decade as a professional, Vinokourov was caught blood doping during the 2007 Tour de France, which triggered the withdrawal of the entire Astana team from that year's race.

A serious crash during the 2011 Tour de France threatened to prematurely end Vinokourov's career for a second time, but he announced he would continue for one more season in 2012 – with an eye towards competing in the Olympic Games in London.

There, Vinokourov played the role of ultimate spoiler when he dramatically won the gold medal in the men's road race after breaking away in the closing miles with Colombian Rigoberto Urán.

[4] The Frenchman Vincent Lavenu, who would later offer Vinokourov his first professional contract, reported that the young Kazakhstani was training on the road every day at age 11, and also competing in cyclo-cross.

After Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union on 16 December 1991, Vinokourov continued to train and race, though as a member of the Kazakhstani national team.

Vinokourov arrived in France on 22 March 1997, after a sub-par performance due to illness in the Tour de Langkawi as a member of Kazakhstan's national team.

[14] While he readily adapted to Europe, Mizurov – who had won the inaugural time trial in the 1997 Tour de Langkawi – struggled with homesickness and contemplated a return to Kazakhstan.

[11][15] In total, Vinokourov would win ten races for his amateur club, leading Vincent Lavenu to offer him a two-year professional contract to ride for Casino in 1998–1999.

His first win for the German team was stage 18 in the Vuelta a España, in which he caught the two riders in the breakaway and sprinted past Roberto Laiseka and Vicente Garcia Acosta in the last 300 metres.

The dominance of the Telekom team was evident the following day when Rolf Aldag won and Vinokourov gained a minute and a half over the peloton to ensure victory.

When they reached Paris officials stopped the clock due to dangerous conditions (the cobblestone road was wet and slippery from rain), and the final sprint prime was cancelled.

Following his one and only Grand Tour victory at the Vuelta, Vinokourov rode to a podium finish at the World Championships TT in Salzburg, where he took third behind winner Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, and the American runner-up, David Zabriskie – both of Team CSC.

[50]Vinokourov started the 2007 Tour de France as a definite "Yellow jersey favourite,"[51] with a new team backed by the same Kazakh sponsors who had taken over Liberty Seguros in 2006 – Astana.

[53][54] The wounded Kazakh could be seen standing on the left side of the road, gesticulating while a frantic teammate struggled to fix his leader's damaged bike.

According to Phil Liggett, long-time commentator for the Tour, "It is incomprehensible that Vinokourov could do such a thing when he must have known he was under suspicion because of his dealing with disgraced doctor Michele Ferrari in Italy.

The UCI was angered by the short ban—a lighter sentence than those received by other cyclists found guilty, such as Tyler Hamilton and Ivan Basso—which would allow him to ride in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Vinokourov, banned for a year after doping at the 2007 Tour de France, told the Belgian TV program Sporza that he wanted to race again in 2009.

I feel as if I can win once again the big races.The UCI then renewed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, asking it to overturn the one-year suspension by the Kazakh federation and to impose a standard two-year ban.

[65] Returning after a blood doping sanction after the 2007 Tour de France and sidelined from the sport, Vinokourov began his first important race the 2010 Giro d'Italia.

He rode well in the early-season Tour of the Mediterranean, where he finished 5th overall, and served as a super-domestique for his Astana teammate Alberto Contador at the Critérium International.

[67] It was his first major win since he returned to Astana the previous August, and an unusually-expressive Vinokourov shared his thoughts post-race: It's a great satisfaction.

[68]Because of his recent doping suspension, Vinokourov could not count on riding the 2010 Tour de France, but Giro organizers had no similar qualms about inviting him to their event.

He targeted a strong performance in the Italian grand tour, although he took pains to downplay his chances of overall victory: I do not talk about winning [the Giro d'Italia], but I would certainly [aim to] wear the pink jersey for one day.

[69]With Contador's help, Vinokourov won the 2010 Liège–Bastogne–Liège,[70] six seconds clear of breakaway companion Alexandr Kolobnev with Spain's Alejandro Valverde coming in third, more than a minute after the pair.

[79]Barely a month later at the Giro d'Italia, Vinokourov finished 6th overall after having worn the pink jersey as leader of the general classification for five dramatic stages.

On just his third day ever racing the Giro, Vinokourov inherited the pink leader's jersey from Cadel Evans of BMC after the Australian was involved in a seafront crash with 15 km to go to the finish.

[80] Vinokourov couldn't hide the fact that he was happy to lead the Giro: I was riding the last ten kilometres without thinking of taking the pink jersey.

Despite this, Astana still saw some measure of success in the Tour, with Vinokourov winning stage 13 after a solo attack over the last climb of the day and a determined effort to hold off the field.

[88] He explained, While he had a quiet spring season of racing, barring accident, illness, or another doping scandal, Vinokourov's spot on Astana's Tour de France 2012 roster was secure owing to his status within the team and the symbolic importance for Kazakhstan of his participation.

[100] Vinokourov was awarded the rank of honorary colonel in the Kazakh army in 2000, after he finished second to his then-Telekom teammate Jan Ullrich in the men's Olympic road race in Sydney.