The Kazakhstan Cycling Federation has given Alexandre Vinokourov a one-year suspension for his positive doping tests at the 2007 Tour de France.

Vino’s sample after winning the individual  time trial in Stage 13  tested positive for a blood transfusion. Vino also won Stage 15, but he and  his team, Astana, were booted from the TdF later that day when the positive “A” result   from  Stage 13 became available to the Tour organizers.  Astanta  then fired Vinokourov  after the “B” result also showed positive.

The Astana Cycling Team is now under completely new management, with Johan Bruyneel running the show with much of the former staff of the old U.S. Postal Service/Discovery Channel squad that produced eight Tour de France  titles in nine years  – seven by Lance Armstrong and the last by Alberto Contador — before folding after last season.

The one-year ban is curious, mainly because the usual penalty is a two-year suspension. Bans are sometimes reduced if riders fess up and show remorse, but Vino has insisted that  he’s innocent. The Union Cycliste International, cycling’s governing body, may appeal for a longer suspension.

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