The HTC-Highroad men are hoping to follow the example of their female teammates in the Tour of Qatar, which starts this coming Sunday. Dutch rider Ellen Van Dijk won the second stage of the women’s race and took the overall race, as well as the points and young riders’ jerseys. In addition, German champion Charlotte Becker finished second in the race, and Dutch rouleur Adrie Visser finished fourth.
The men’s team knows that they have been given a hard act to follow but, with the “fastest man on two wheels” in Mark Cavendish in the squad, the confidence is high.
"The HTC-Highroad Women's team have given us a great example to follow," said Austrian Bernie Eisel, who was the only riders besides Quick Step’s Tom Boonen to win a stage of the race in 2006. "We've got a strong line-up here for the men's race, I know Cav is very motivated, and [Mark] Renshaw is flying as well.
“I'm feeling good too,” Eisel added, “Qatar is always a question of being ready for riding in the cross-winds and making it into the front groups when the splits happen."
The team will be led by sports director Valerio Piva, whoj recognises that the change in race format from previous years will mean that the team must approach it slightly differently.
"The opening prologue in this year's race means it will be important to be ready from the word go,” he said, “but over such a short distance the time differences between the favourites will be small and that will make the time bonuses in the following five stages decisive.
“Mark [Cavendish] wasn't at 100 percent after his crash in the Tour Down Under,” explained Piva, referring to the heavy fall on stage 2 that left the Manxman with nasty facial abrasions (pictured), “but he's recovered from that now so we'll see how he's going. But we've got plenty of other options here, too.”
With many of the sport’s top sprinters also present at the race, including record stage winner Boonen, Daniele Bennati (Leopard Trek), Theo Bos (Rabobank) and Langkawi sensation Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini-Neri) we should very quickly get an idea how well the Manx Missile has recovered.
HTC-Highroad for the Tour of Qatar:
Lars Bak, Matt Brammeier, Mark Cavendish, Bernhard Eisel, Jan Ghyselinck, Patrick Gretsch, Mark Renshaw and Gatis Smukulis.