Giorgia Bronzini of the Italian National Team won a bunch sprint to take the second stage of the Tour of Qatar between Al Zubarah and the Oryx Farm. The world points race champion, who won two stages last year and finished second yesterday, beat Australian Rochelle Gilmore (Lotto Ladies Team) and new Gauss-RDZ-Ormu teammate Martine Bras (Netherlands National Team).
The Tour of Qatar is always dominated by windy conditions, but the wind was so strong this morning that the stage was shortened from 107km to 86km. The conditions also conspired to keep the peloton together until it reached the first intermediate sprint at Al Ghuwairiya.
Defending Tour of Qatar champion Kirsten Wild (Cervélo TestTeam), whose victory last year was largely due to intermediate time bonuses, took the sprint ahead of compatriot Monique Van De Ree (Netherlands National Team) and Cervélo teammate Sarah Düster.
After 50km the first real breakaway of the day occurred when Latoya Brulee (RedSun Cycling) escaped. The Belgian was quickly caught and passed by American Liz Hatch (Lotto Ladies Team) however, who built up a maximum lead of 1’45” over the bunch.
The wind was too strong for a solo rider to stay away though and Hatch was reeled by the peloton, led by Cervélo and the Netherlands just before the second intermediate sprint. Wild once again took the sprint points and seconds, beating Adrie Visser (HTC-Columbia) and Kirsty Broun (Australian National Team).
With just under 4km to the finish Broun, Charlotte Becker (Cervélo TestTeam) and Noemi Cantele (HTC-Columbia) got away. The trio was reeled in though as they passed the red kite marking the final kilometre and the inevitable bunch sprint was on.
Time bonuses on the line made Bronzini leapfrog yesterday’s stage winner Rasa Leleivyte – with whom she was teammates at Safi-Pasta Zara last year – and take the overall race lead.
Results stage 2
1. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Italian National Team
2. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Lotto Ladies Team
3. Martine Bras (Ned) Netherlands National Team
4. Kirsten Wild (Ned) Cervélo TestTeam
5. Lauren Tamayo (USA) United States National Team
6. Chloe Hosking (Aus) HTC-Columbia
7. Sophie Creux (Fra) French National Team
8. Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Netherlands National Team
9. Rasa Leleivyte (Lit) Safi-Pasta Zara
10. Angela Hennig (Ger) German National Team
Standings after stage 2
1. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Italian National Team
2. Kirsten Wild (Ned) Cervélo TestTeam
3. Rasa Leleivyte (Lit) Safi-Pasta Zara
4. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Lotto Ladies Team
5. Chloe Hosking (Aus) HTC-Columbia
6. Martine Bras (Ned) Netherlands National Team
7. Adrie Visser (Ned) HTC-Columbia
8. Monique Van De Ree (Ned) Netherlands National Team
9. Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam
10. Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Nederland Bloeit