XDS-Astana rider Alexandre Vinokurov has announced his retirement at just 23, saying that he has ridden in fear and pain since a devastating training crash in March.
He was hit by a car while training in Greece and sustained a broken leg. Surgery to fix the break was successful but the incident evidently left Vinokurov – the son of XDS-Astana boss and former pro rider Alexandre Vinokourov – with psychological scars, as well as a degree of lasting physical pain.
In response his father – who won the 2012 Olympic Games road race in London – praised him, saying: “I’m proud of you my son, you still have a bright future ahead of you, and a new chapter! You’re doing very well. This is a great school and you’ve gained a lot of experience.”
“I once asked staff on my team: how much would they have to be paid, to drive around in a car at 50 km/h, 70 days a year, for 4-5 hours per day, in a T-shirt and shorts, and twice per year—with no control over when or where—they would be pushed out of the car?” Woods wrote on his blog.
