Tour of qatar - Stage 1: Dukhan - Al Khor Corniche, 146km

[auscyclefan94]

Weather in Doha

Stage 1 start time: Sunday 12:35 AST (8:35:00 PM UTC+1100);
Earliest live video: 14:50 AST (10:50:00 PM UTC+1100)
Approximate finish: 15:42 AST (11:42:00 PM UTC+1100)

GC
1 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:03:07
2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Leopard Trek 0:00:04
3 Tom Veelers (Ned) Skil - Shimano 0:00:05
4 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling
5 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:06
6 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
7 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
8 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:08
9 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Pro Team Astana
10 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) HTC-Highroad 0:00:09
11 Roger Kluge (Ger) Skil - Shimano
12 Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad
13 Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:10
14 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
15 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Leopard Trek
16 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Leopard Trek 0:00:11
17 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
18 Tanel Kangert (Est) Pro Team Astana
19 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post - Sean Kelly 0:00:12
20 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator

 

[ingsve]

The big question as always will be whether there is wind or not. It seems like it's fairly far from the ocean however but with the flat land it's hard to tell how much wind there will be even on this stage.

 

[Ferminal]

lol ACF, I don't think anyone wanted to make it!

Interesting to see how Boonen goes, hasn't sprinted for 12 months or so. Same goes for Haussler since June. I'm not sure anyone could seriously suggest Cav, so maybe Renshaw is a possibility.

So I think this is wide open and there for the taking, one of the less consistent ones may just pop up and win it. Though the wise man might say Guardini. I think I will say Bennati.

 

[LukeSchmid]

The big question as always will be whether there is wind or not. It seems like it's fairly far from the ocean however but with the flat land it's hard to tell how much wind there will be even on this stage.

Looking at various sources it seems that there will be wind from the NW up to about 30km/h. One forecast for Al Ghuwairiya seems to indicate the wind is going to be of similar strength everywhere. It also seems that this stage is probably going to be the windiest.

 

[Eric8-A]

Francesco Chicchi

 

[auscyclefan94]

lol ACF, I don't think anyone wanted to make it!

Interesting to see how Boonen goes, hasn't sprinted for 12 months or so. Same goes for Haussler since June. I'm not sure anyone could seriously suggest Cav, so maybe Renshaw is a possibility.

So I think this is wide open and there for the taking, one of the less consistent ones may just pop up and win it. Though the wise man might say Guardini. I think I will say Bennati.

Well I had a spare 10 minutes so I made the thread knowing that everyone would wait for me to make it


Renshaw just said on his twitter that it is going to be very windy!

 

[Moondance]

Apparently the riders will organize a protest before the start here today, just like in Majorca yesterday.

Also,, Boonen FTW.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Apparently the riders will organize a protest before the start here today, just like in Majorca yesterday.

Some sources are saying that the riders, probably Boom, will read a statement in support of the race radio and that is all.

Susan

 

[Roland Rat]

Some sources are saying that the riders, probably Boom, will read a statement in support of the race radio and that is all.

Susan

So they still need to be told what to do/say. "We need radios because it's dangerous without them and we might crash and we might puncture and Andy Schleck might fall off and we might need to cancel the stage and we might need our nappies changing and I might need my daddy to undo my gel and I can't tie my shoelaces yet and I don't know what to do when the hard thing we ride on changes direction and... and... and.. I WANT MY MUMMY!!!"



Why is it the solution is obvious to everyone except the UCI or the teams?

Anyway, back on topic, yeah, Qatar, it's a bit blowy, crosswinds, sprint... erm... yeah.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

It's a pretty interesting stage in terms of riders in my opinion.

Does Boonen have what it takes? What is Chicchi's role on the team? Will Bennati show something?

It could be time for Bos, Kristoff or Galimzyanov to pick up a nice win.

I'll go with Kristoff today - go make me some points!

 

[Sasquatch]

Ignatiev from a break.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Do you have any kind of ticker or livestream?

 

[Sasquatch]

Nah.

That's my tip.

 

[TeoSheva]

What about the two young riders of TopSport? Boeckmans and VanStayen

 

[euanli]

Renshaw will go for the sprint I assume. No protest out of respect for the money money people in Qatar.

 

[theyoungest]

From Koos Moerenhout on twitter:

19 riders in front. From Rabo; Boom and Brown. Also there: Cancellara, Boonen, Benatti, Haussler.

First boni sprint: 1 Renshaw, 2 Boom, 3 O'Grady.

2 minutes between group 1 and 2.

 

[Ferminal]

From Koos Moerenhout on twitter:

19 riders in front. From Rabo; Boom and Brown. Also there: Cancellara, Boonen, Benatti, Haussler.

First boni sprint: 1 Renshaw, 2 Boom, 3 O'Grady.

2 minutes between group 1 and 2.

Wow, that's a huge break just with those names. Might be a tough chase if they work together.

 

[theyoungest]

Boom due to stomach problem in 2nd group now.

 

[TeoSheva]

no way to know who is in the first group?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Boom due to stomach problem in 2nd group now.

a shame.
any word on bos, hoping he can do something today?

 

[theyoungest]

a shame.
any word on bos, hoping he can do something today?

Moerenhout only mentioned Brown and Boom in that front group, so now that leaves only our Aussie friend, I guess.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Any feeds?

 

[sublimit]

try this http://sports-livez.com/channel/ch-2.php

 

[Ferminal]

3 Garmin, 3 Lepers and I think 3 Quick-Step.

 

[auscyclefan94]

who's the bmc rider?