Alexander Vinokourov 'should stand trial' for corruption, says Belgian prosecutor

Alexander Vinokourov and Alexandr Kolobnev will stand trial for a corruption related to the Kazakh's 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege win, Belgian prosecutors have ruled.

Sky Sports News report that Vinokourov, manager of WorldTour team Astana, should face a private corruption charge which carries a possible prison sentence if found guilty.

Vinokourov and Kolobnev are accused of conspiring to allow the Kazakh to win the Ardennes Classic in 2010, with Vinokourov offering the Russian €100,000 Euros to throw throw the race.

Claims were made against the pair in 2011 and in 2012, while investigating Dr Michele Ferrari, two payments of €50,000 from Vinokourov to Kolobnev were uncovered.

The UCI promised to look into the incident, but until the intervention of the Belgian courts in 2014 no action was taken.

According to Sky Sports News, the pair face a jail term of between six months and three years and fines of up to €600,000 if they are found guilty, although both riders deny the accusations.