Like Vinokourov, Andreas Kloden is another former T-Mobile understudy to Jan Ullrich.

The German moved to Vino's Astana team at the end of the 2006 season, when he stepped onto the Tour podium for the second time in his career. He may yet be promoted from third depending on the outcome of the Floyd Landis doping case.

Kloden is comfortable in the mountains and in time-trials but he isn't as aggressive as Vinokourov. It is unclear whether the 32-year-old will be given free rein or if he must ride for the Kazakh this year.

He finished second in 2004.