Can we talk about Qatar?

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I have alsmost every favourite for this race in my cq team - shame the points are so tiny...

 

[mc_mountain]

if the riders are so inclined the prologue could be fantastic.
i will add Bennati to the list of contenders for 2k gallop...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Eurosport player is always an option.

not when it costs money

 

[Kwibus]

not when it costs money

Sometimes you have to pay for something you want. It's quite normal in regular life. I'm not sure you are aware of that?

wait.. this is on the internet... EVERYTHING is free on the internet.. right?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

My tip is Bobridge, Phinney and maybe Boom for third. Don't think Wiggins have enough speed in him for that distance. Will be interesting to see him in the world cup again though.

I'd go for Boonen He's good in prologues

 

[Martin318is]

is this better

I saw what you did there...


love your work Dim!

 

[Martin318is]

The great thing is that by this point in the first TDU thread there were already numerous people complaining it would be a boring sprint fest.

Whereas with Qatar, everyone just accepts it and enjoys it.

 

[royalpig180]

don't rule Cavendish out of the prologue.. he's won short prolouges before

Just what I was thinking. I doubt that he'll be in good enough form/motivated enough at this early junction of the season. Probably someone like Phinney or even Renshaw who could be more motivated.

 

[ingsve]

The great thing is that by this point in the first TDU thread there were already numerous people complaining it would be a boring sprint fest.

Whereas with Qatar, everyone just accepts it and enjoys it.

Well, the diffrence is 2.1 vs WT. Qatar is not a race that will impact the various rankings as much and it doesn't force all teams to participate.

 

[Martin318is]

Well, the diffrence is 2.1 vs WT. Qatar is not a race that will impact the various rankings as much and it doesn't force all teams to participate.

note that I didn't say that it was bad...

 

[auscyclefan94]

Or perhaps a camel lying in the middle of the road.

Every year we joke about doing live reports on this race, and question who would fall asleep of boredom first ... the readers or us.

The race report is easy: Hot, wind, boring landscape, escape group, caught, mass sprint.

Susan

Haha, So are you doing qatar this year?

Anyway, Boonen or Phinney ftw in the prologue but because it is so stupidly short that it anyone could win

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Haha, So are you doing qatar this year?

I sure hope not!

Susan

 

[Connor Pass]

Brit ES 2 schedules show a scant, 60 minutes live, (it will probably feel like a lot longer) for each Qatar stage. Oman is also scheduled for ES 2, although the timings are not yet available, to see if it's live or not.
As David Harmon said he would be commentating, I suspect it will be live for the first time.

Oman isn't live - only highlights in the evenings on Eur 2 (I think)

For streaming http://www.fromsport.com is a great website.

 

[DAOTEC]

Ooppsss: This first year as a pro getting off to a frustrating start.

Actually Phinney is riding as well. I guess it is too much to ask for him to be in good form as well to see the Wiggins vs Phinney match up that will never be thanks to the UCI and IOC.

Interesting call. I'm not sure if he can compete with Wiggins and Phinney though

Actually he can hold closer to 70km/h......he is riding and it will suit him but whether or not he actually goes for it is another story. I hope he does because he could win it. Phinny is also a fav. in my opinion

My tip is Bobridge, Phinney and maybe Boom for third. Don't think Wiggins have enough speed in him for that distance. Will be interesting to see him in the world cup again though.

Taylor Phinney will 'NOT' debut with the BMC at the Tour of Qatar, as knee problems ruled him our for the Asian race starting Sunday.

Blog: [http://taylorphinney.com/TP/Blog/out_of_Tour_of_Qatar.html]


http://twitter.com/taylorphinney

 

[DAOTEC]

Ladies Tour of Qatar (RESULT)

Stage 1: Wednesday, February 2, 2011 (2.1) - 94.5 km > just finished

Start: Camel Race Track
Finish: Dukhan

Stage 1 Result + GC:
1. Rochelle Gilmore (Lotto-Honda)
2. Giorgia Bronzini (Forno D’Asolo Colavita)
3. Chloe Hosking (HTC-Highroad Women)
4. Ellen Van Dijk (HTC-Highroad Women)
5. Lucy Martin (Garmin-Cervélo)
6. Martine Bras Dolmans Landscaping)
7. Rossella Callovi (Mcipollini-Giordana)
8. Charlotte Becker (HTC-Highroad Women)
11. Nicole Cooke (Mcipollini-Giordana)

13. Iris Slappendel (Garmin-Cervélo) ‎à 6s
16. Sophie Creux (Vienne Futuroscope) à 12s
17. Eleonora Patuzzo (Diadora-Pasta Zara) à 14s
18. Loes Gunnewijk (NL Bloeit) à 16s
83. Simona Martini (Vaiana-Solaristech) à 25s
84. Alison Tetrick à 31s
85. Emma Trott (NL Bloeit) à 39s
88. Pascale Jeuland (Vienne Futuroscope) à 2:39
89. Carmen Mcnellis (TIBCO-To The Top) à 7:36

Web: [http://letour.fr/TQL.html]

 

[DAOTEC]

ToQ '11 line-up >

BMC
Karsten Kroon,
Danilo Wyss,
Marcus Burghardt,
Kristoff,
John Murphy,
Manuel Quinziato,
Michael Schär,
Greg Van Avermaet.

Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli
Andrea Guardini,
Giovanni Visconti,
Patrick Sinkewitz,
Oscar Gatto,
Francesco Failli,
Diego Caccia,
Davide Ricci Bitti,
Leonardo Giordani.

(http://bici)

 

[lucybears]

ToQ '11 line-up >

startlists

Matsport (this is the original provisional startlist filed by the teams with the race orgaizers. It will NOT be updated until the evening before the race, but it WILL be the first to give you the actual startlist)
http://s288581967.onlinehome.fr/resultat/resultat.php5?an=2011

meanwhile,
http://www.cyclingstartlists.com/2011/02Feb2011/01Qatar2011.htm
and
http://www.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?detp=view&_ap=startlijst&editie_idd=MjE2NzQ=
will update every now & again....

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Probably Boonen winning the overall again.

Cavendish will crash and destroy someone's season again with his fat ****.

I have good hopes Bos will throw Cavendish into the barriers before that happens.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Interesting call. I'm not sure if he can compete with Wiggins and Phinney though

Isn't Bos an ex world champion 1km TT? If it's short enough why not

 

[issoisso]

QuickStep is bringing Van Impe and 7 sprinters. WTF.

 

[El Pistolero]

The great thing is that by this point in the first TDU thread there were already numerous people complaining it would be a boring sprint fest.

Whereas with Qatar, everyone just accepts it and enjoys it.

Qatar has Boonen

And I've been to Qatar, great country, but landscape during the race can get boring quickly, but I don't mind lol.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No

Qatar has echelons. TDU doesn't.

 

[Jamsque]

BIG gaps in the women's race today thanks to high winds and echelons. Hopefully a sign of things to come in the men's race.

 

[Anonymous]

Phinney out.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I have good hopes Bos will throw Cavendish into the barriers before that happens.

Yep, lets all hate on Cavendish for winning, but celebrate the guy with a genuine track record of thuggish behaviour.