Cycling's Bond villain

Alexandre Vinokourov's Liege-Bastogne-Liege win has left many cycling fans conflicted and confused and unable to enjoy any winning performance, writes Philip Gomes.

"Drain a litre of blood from that bastard and run every damn test in the book," @nicodonnell via Twitter.

The above quote, in response to Alexandre Vinokourov's win in Liege-Bastogne-Liege (LBL), culled from thousands of similar responses on Twitter, pretty well sums up fan reactions to the Kazakh.

To say Vinokourov is unpopular is an understatement. Even among his colleagues in the professional peloton the silence has been deafening, with few congratulatory remarks directed his way.

Indeed, my redoubtable colleague Mike Tomalaris took a straw poll on Twitter asking "does anyone like Vino?" which resulted in a resounding result. No: 24 votes. Yes: 1 vote.

Only surprising because I didn't realise Vinokourov's mum was on Twitter. Today the Kazakh is the Bond villain of the professional peloton.

For the 'tifosi', this years LBL podium has two sets of faces, the official winners - a troika of Alex's - Vinokourov, Koloblev and Valverde replaced by the 'peoples podium' of Kolobnev, Cadel Evans, and Phillippe Gilbert.

All of this follows a week in cycling where a rash of doping suspensions were announced and where the Giro del Trentino saw it's general classification dominated by riders who have returned from high-profile suspensions of their own - led by Vinokourov, who won the race.

The reactions to 'Vino's' Trentino win was similarly visceral and included a bonus dose of caustic comment directed at the runner-up, Riccardo Ricco.

Scanning the social media commentary, clearly there is now no room left amongst the fans for redemption and rehabilitation of dopers, with many calling for life bans for proven offenders.

But to me much of the comment resembles the tabloid 'law and order' beat-ups employed by politicians and media alike - "lock 'em up and throw away the key!" bays the inflamed mob.

I see this very differently. Every rider deserves at least one return from a doping suspension. It's called natural justice, or law.

The Wikipedia definition states that man is basically good, that a person of good intent should not be harmed, and one should treat others as one would like to be treated.

That Vino, and a host of other riders in his position, broke the rules of the game is irrefutable. But it is also true that he has served his time and is entitled by those rules to return to racing.

Nowhere does it say he can return but is not allowed on the podium. Nowhere does it say that he must display an appropriate amount of contrition before winning back the fans' love.

Indeed the matter of fact Kazakh could not have put it more succinctly when he said: "I've turned the page, I've returned stronger than before and I've shown everybody that 'Vino' is back.

"This team was created for and also thanks to me. I've completed my punishment so I don't see why I shouldn't come back."

Years ago Vinokourov had the fans love, with many lauding his swashbuckling take-no-prisoners style; where he would launch himself on one seemingly suicidal attack after another disrupting the cosy hegemony of a well ordered peloton.

So maybe it was that love which has resulted in today's reactions - betrayal always seems greater when the love is stronger.

Important too is this. Vinokourov would have to be one of the world's most watched and tested sportsmen, today he probably looks like a pincushion with a bad haircut now that the sport has a comprehensive system for rooting out the cheats.

The anti-doping officials will have taken blood, hair and urine and have probably included Vino's mum and any pets he may have just to make sure.

With intense media, fan and official scrutiny now the norm for any rider returning from a doping suspension we now have a situation of 'trust but verify'.

Vinokourov says he won LBL clean so I'm prepared to cut him some slack and enjoy his unpopular victory in the great race.