The world’s most successful cyclist of all time, Eddy Merckx, has underlined the importance of the Tours of Qatar and Oman, saying that he believes they are perfect in helping riders build form for big races ahead. “I think the races in Qatar and Oman are the ideal preparation for the spring,” the famous Belgian told Sporza. “The organization is very good, the weather is pleasant and the riders have little experience of jet lag [due to the 2 hour time difference with Europe].”
The Tour of Qatar begins tomorrow with a two kilometre prologue, then continues with five flat stages ranging between 128.5 and 153.5 kilometres. It’s the first time that the race has featured an individual time trial, with some previous editions having a team effort instead.
Some of the sport’s top riders are taking part in the race, including Tom Boonen and Gert Steegmans (Quick Step), Mark Cavendish and Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad), Fabian Cancellara and Daniele Bennati (Leopard Trek), Bradley Wiggins (Sky Procycling), Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha), Danilo Hondo (Lampre-ISD), Lars Boom and Graeme Brown (Rabobank), Heinrich Haussler and Jack Bobridge (Garmin-Cervélo), Marcus Burghardt, Greg Van Avermaet and Karsten Kroon (BMC Racing Team), Dominque Rollin and Anthony Geslin (FDJ), Xavier Florencio (Geox-TMC), Andrea Guardini and Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli) and Nico Eeckhout (An Post Sean Kelly)
The lineup shows that the race is indeed seen as strong preparation for the Spring Classics and other races. Being run by Tour de France organisers ASO also helps, although the early announcement of Tour de France wildcards this season means that the race is no longer crucial in making a case for a team’s inclusion. However the quality of the organisation is evident. So too the luxury accommodation for the riders in the Ritz Carlton in Doha, as underlined by the 1.2 tonne, $2 million Viennese Baakowitz Swarovski crystal chandelier hanging in the lobby.
Merckx has long been part of the organisation, helping to set things up prior to the first edition nine years ago. “I remember well prior to that first Tour of Qatar,” he said. “It was August 2001 and it was hot here. The temperature increased to above 50 degrees. We drove around for three to four days to check it out [possible routes]. From then on, the initiative quickly took shape. The following year, 2002, the first edition was held.”
Judging by past record, Boonen should be the one to watch. He won in 2006, 2008 and 2009, and has picked up 17 stage wins. However the 2km opening prologue could complicate things for him, and so too the presence of high-speed rivals such as Cavendish and others.
Merckx believes that there’s no one clear favourite. “It’s all about who has the best condition,” he said. “Its so early in the season that it’s difficult to assess that.”
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Tour of Qatar, February 6th to 11th:
Prologue – Doha Cultural Village, 2km
Stage 1 – Dukhan to Al Khor Corniche, 145.5km
Stage 2 – Camel Race Track to Doha Golf Club, 135.5km
Stage 3 – Al Wakra to Messaieed, 150.5km
Stage 4 – West Bay Lagoon to Al Kharaitiyat, 153.5km
Stage 5 – Sealine Beach Resort to Doha Corniche, 128.5km
Provisional start list:
Quick Step:
Kevin Van Impe
Gert Steegmans
Andreas Stauff
Frederique Robert
Nikolas Maes
Francesco Chicchi
Marco Bandiera
Tom Boonen
Reserves:
Julien Vermote
Andy Cappelle
Director sportif: Wilfried Peeters
HTC-Highroad:
Gatis Smukulis
Mark Renshaw
Patrick Gretsch
Jan Ghyselinck
Bernhard Eisel
Matthew Brammeier
Lars Bak
Mark Cavendish
Reserves:
Frantisek Rabon
Matthew Goss
Director Sportif: Valerio Piva
Lampre-ISD:
Balint Szeghalmi
Adriano Malori
Dmytro Krivtsov
Vitaliy Kondrut
Danilo Hondo
Matteo Bono
Grega Bole
Reserves:
Enrico Magazzini
Denys Kostyuk
Director Sportif: Fabrizio Bontempi
Leopard Trek:
Wouter Weylandt
Davide Vigano
Tom Stamsnijder
Joost Posthuma
Stuart O'Grady
Dominic Klemme
Daniele Bennati
Fabian Cancellara
Reserves:
Anders Lund
Stephan Denifl
Director Sportif: Kim Anderson
Katusha:
Stijn Vandenbergh
Nikolay Trussov
Luca Paolini
Aliaksandr Kuchynski
Mikhail Ignatiev
Leif Hoste
Denis Galimzyanov
Filippo Pozzato
Reserves:
Maxime Vantomme
Joaquim Rodriguez
Director Sportif: Serge Parsani
Skil-Shimano:
Tom Veelers
Ronan Van Zandbeck
Albert Timmer
Martin Reimer
Roger Kluge
Simon Geschke
Koen De Kort
Kenny Van Hummel
Reserves:
Marcel Kittel
Roy Curvers
Director Sportif: Merljn Zeeman
Rabobank:
Maarten Wynants
Dennis Van Winden
Maarten Tjallingii
Bram Tankink
Rick Flens
Graeme Brown
Lars Boom
Theo Bos
Reserves:
Michael Matthews
Matti Breschel
Director Sportif: Nico Verhoeven
Team Sky:
Ian Stannard
Lars-Peter Nordhaug
Jeremy Hunt
Juan Antonio Flecha
Alex Dowsett
Russel Downing
Kurt-Asle Arvesen
Bradley Wiggins
Reserves:
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Davide Appollonio
Director Sportif: Steven De Jongh
Garmin-Cervélo:
Sep Vanmarcke
Johan Van Summeren
Gabriel Rasch
Travis Meyer
Andreas Klier
Roger Hammond
Jack Bobridge
Heinrich Haussler
Reserves:
Ramunas Navardauskas
Director Sportif: Johnny Weltz
Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator:
Jelle Wallays
Pieter Vanspeybrouck
Preben Van Hecke
Geert Steurs
Pieter Serry
Stijn Neirynck
Kris Boeckmans
Michael Van Staeyen
Reserves:
Jarl Salomein
Stijn Joseph
Director Sportif: Hans De Clercq
BMC Racing Team:
Danilo Wyss
Greg Van Avermaet
Michael Schar
Manuel Quinziato
Karsten Kroon
Alexander Kristoff
Marcus Burghardt
Reserves:
Jeff Louder
Martin Kohler
Director Sportif: John Lelangue
FDJ:
Wesley Sulzberger
Dominique Rollin
Yoann Offredo
Matthieu Ladagnous
Frédéric Guesdon
Anthony Geslin
Sandy Casar
William Bonnet
Reserves:
Mickael Delage
Olivier Bonnaire
Director Sportif: Martial Gayant
Astana:
Tomas Vaitkus
Mirco Lorenzetto
Tanel Kangert
Valentin Iglinskiy
Andriy Grivko
Maxim Gourov
Simon Clarke
Assan Bazayev
Reserves:
Alexandre Vinokourov
Roman Kireyev
Director Sportif: Laurenzo Lapage
Geox-TMC:
Daniele Ratto
Matteo Pelucchi
Marko Kump
Dmitriy Kozontchuk
David Gutierrez
Xavier Florencio
Marco Corti
Thomas Alberio
Reserves:
Denis Menchov
Gianpaolo Cheula
Director Sportif: Stefano Zanini
Farnese Vini-Neri:
Patrik Sinkewitz
Davide Ricci Bitti
Andrea Guardini
Leonardo Giordani
Oscar Gatto
Francesco Failli
Diego Caccia
Giovanni Visconti
Reserves:
Gianluca Mirenda
Pier Paolo De Negri
Director Sportif: Luca Scinto
An Post-Sean Kelly:
Mark McNally
Andrew Fenn
Maxim De Busschere
Kevin Claeys
Mark Cassidy
Sam Bennett
Gediminas Bagdonas
Nico Eeckhout
Reserves:
Dries Hollanders
Kees Heytens
Director Sportif: Kurt Bogaerts