Former Olympic cycling champion Alexandre Vinokourov could face prison sentence after allegedly fixing cycling race in Liege

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Former Olympic cycling champion Alexandre Vinokourov and fellow rider Alexandre Kolobnev could face up to six months in jail after being accused of fixing the result of the 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic race.

Vinokourov allegedly paid Kolobnev €150,000 to let him win the race. Both riders have denied the accusations.

A court in the city of Liege said on Tuesday (September 10) that a ruling will be announced on Tuesday 8th October. Judicial officials said prosecutors have also requested Vinokourov and Kolobnev to pay a fine of €100,000 and €50,000 respectively.

Vinokourov won the 2006 Spanish Vuelta and four individual stages at the Tour de France between 2003-10. He was given a two-year ban after testing positive for blood doping at the 2007 Tour but came back to win the men’s road race at the 2012 London Olympics.

The former cyclist took the Ironman 70.3 World title for the 45 to 49 age group in Nice, France only a few days ago. 

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