A STUNNING time trial performance by Alexandre Vinokourov blew the Tour de France wide open at Albi on Saturday.

The Kazakhstan rider had been all but eliminated after a crash in the first week that left him needing 60 stitches to various parts of his body, but he issued a declaration of intent with a crushing victory in stage 13.

"My legs are beginning to feel better" Vinokourov said, with some understatement, after recording a time of 1:06:35 for the 54 kilometre circular route around Albi. "They were a bit quick to write me off."

Vinokourov's performance was even more remarkable given that he rode in torrential rain. Conditions were treacherous, but the Astana team leader eclipsed the previous best time, set by Britain's Bradley Wiggins, by over two minutes.

Only Australia's Cadel Evans got anywhere near Vinokourov's time, finishing 1:15 behind, but the rain had subsided by the time the main race favourites finished and Denmark's Michael Rasmussen capitalised, producing a better-than-expected ride to retain his yellow jersey.

Evans moved into second place overall, 60 seconds behind Rasmussen, while Spain's Alberto Contador moved up to third, 2:31 behind the Dane.

Of the other contenders Vinokourov's team mate Andreas Kloden was third, despite a crash and is now fourth overall, three seconds behind Contador.

The day's biggest losers were the Spanish climbers Alejandro Valverde and Iban Mayo, who lost several minutes to Rasmussen.

Vinokourov is now ninth overall, five minutes behind, while Wiggins eventually finished fifth in the stage.