so the jersey is mine. To get it is wonderful. I received it without looking for it, really. This is my first participation to the Giro d'Italia and I already have the jersey. Vinokourov fulfilled his promise to Contador and served as his teammate's super-domestique during the Tour, which Contador completed ahead of Andy Schleck and Denis Menchov. However Contador's victory was vacated when it was determined he had tested positive for a minute amount of the banned drug clenbuterol. 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. He summed up his triumph: I showed I worked hard in these two years. 2011–2012 In the 9th stage of the Tour de France 2011 Vinokourov fell and broke his right femur. On 17 July 2011, his "retirement" from professional cycling was announced, unofficially and without comment, on Twitter pages by fellow cyclists. Later that day he confirmed his retirement. Rehabilitating from the accident he discovered he felt better than he had anticipated, and decided to ride the 2011 Giro di Lombardia before retiring. In September, he decided to postpone his retirement altogether, and announced he would return for the 2012 season and ride for Astana in the Tour de France. True to his word, Vinokourov returned to pro cycling in 2012 as a rider and debuted at the Tour de Langkawi with his Astana teammates, the same place that Vinokourov started his pro career with Casino with his 1997 performance with the Kazakhstan national team. Vinokourov stated that the team was aiming for the "overall title", as opposed to any personal win. He explained, ''This is my first big race since I crashed at the Tour de France last year and it will be a good start for my season, for me to find my rhythm before heading to Europe for the Classics. 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. And while he did not win a stage, Vinokourov featured in several breakaways, including an attack on Stage 18 that saw him win the Combativity award