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6th Tour of Qatar - 2.1
Qatar, January 28-February 2, 2007
2006 results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners
The Stages
- Stage 1 - January 28: Team Time Trial, 6 km
- Stage 2 - January 29: Al Wakra - Qatar Olympic Committee, 135.5 km
- Stage 3 - January 30: Dohat Salwa - Khalifa Stadium, 140 km
- Stage 4 - January 31: Camel Race Track - Doha Golf Club, 139.5 km
- Stage 5 - February 1: Al Zubarah - Mesaieed, 160.5 km
- Stage 6 - February 2: Sealine Beach Resort - Doha Corniche, 134 km
Qatar showcases sprinters
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The sixth Tour of Qatar is set to be another slug-fest amongst the world’s top sprinters. The likes of Alessandro Petacchi and Tom Boonen will go head to head in the middle-eastern country to attempt to put early marks on the sprint scoreboard. Along with the Italian and Belgian speedsters, there will be the likes of Filippo Pozzato, Luca Paolini, Bernhard Eisel, Robert Förster and Graeme Brown.
Tour of Qatar organizers, ASO (the same organizers of the Tour de France), have inserted something new this year, six-kilometre team time trial. The team event on Sunday, January 28, will open up the six-stage race, based in and around the city of Doha.
What follows on Monday are a series of sprinters' delights. The biggest obstacles for the riders to overcome will be the winds; the area is known for tremendous winds that can often splinter the field and shape the overall classification. But if the past is anything to go by we should see a big sprinter, who can handle riding in echelons, come out as the overall winner, like Tom Boonen did in 2006.
The Belgian started his 2006 season in Qatar with five out of six wins, and looks set for success again this year. Different from last year will be the appearance of his number one rival, Petacchi. Sprinting fans will reveal in the prospect of the two going for sprints so early in the season, still five months before ASO's showcase event.
17 teams of eight riders will contest the stage race: 15 from Europe, 11 ProTour. The Europeans will relish a warm start to the season, with the opportunity to get to know new teammates and practice leadouts, while it will be a season highlight for the other teams. Iran has been invited and so too has home team, Doha.
Start list
Quick-Step Milram 1 Tom Boonen (Bel) 11 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) 2 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) 12 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) 3 Steven De Jongh (Ned) 13 Volodymyr Dyudya (Ukr) 4 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) 14 Christian Knees (Ger) 5 Gert Steegmans (Bel) 15 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) 6 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) 16 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) 7 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) 17 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) 8 Davide Viganň (Ita) 18 Marco Velo (Ita) Rabobank T-Mobile 21 Leon Van Bon (Ned) 31 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) 22 Jan Boven (Ned) 32 Eric Baumann (Ger) 23 Graeme Brown (Aus) 33 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) 24 Rick Flens (Ned) 34 Bert Grabsch (Ger) 25 Mathew Hayman (Aus) 35 Gregory Henderson (NZl) 26 Gerben Löwik (Ned) 36 Kim Kirchen (Lux) 27 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) 37 Andreas Klier (Ger) 28 Thorwald Veneberg (Ned) 38 Servais Knaven (Ned) Ag2R Prévoyance Predictor-Lotto 41 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) 51 Tom Steels (Bel) 42 Renaud Dion (Fra) 52 Wim De Vocht (Bel) 43 Rene Mandri (Est) 53 Leif Hoste (Bel) 44 Loyd Mondory (Fra) 54 Nick Ingels (Bel) 45 Stéphane Poulhičs (Fra) 55 Bert Roesems (Bel) 46 Christophe Riblon (Fra) 56 Roy Sentjens (Bel) 47 Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) 57 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) 48 Alexandre Usov (Blr) 58 Stefano Zanini (Ita) Gerolsteiner Saunier Duval-Prodir 61 Robert Förster (Ger) 71 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) 62 Johannes Frohlinger (Ger) 72 David Cańada (Spa) 63 Oscar Gatto (Ita) 73 Jesús Del Nero (Spa) 64 Tim Klinger (Ger) 74 Ángel Gómez Gómez (Spa) 65 Sven Krauss (Ger) 75 Piotr Mazur (Pol) 66 Volker Ordowski (Ger) 76 Luciano Pagliarini (Bra) 67 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) 77 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) 68 Peter Wrolich (Aut) 78 Remmert Wielinga (Ned) Astana Liquigas 81 Aaron Kemps (Aus) 91 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) 82 Koen De Kort (Ned) 92 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) 83 Maxim Gourov (Kaz) 93 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) 84 René Haselbacher (Aut) 94 Francesco Failli (Ita) 85 Benoît Joachim (Lux) 95 Murilo Fischer (Bra) 86 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus) 96 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) 87 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) 97 Roberto Petito (Ita) 88 Michael Schär (Swi) 98 Frederik Willems (Bel) Bouygues Telecom Chocolade Jacques-Topsport Vlaanderen 101 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) 111 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) 102 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) 112 Johan Coenen (Bel) 103 Mathieu Claude (Fra) 113 Kenny De Haes (Bel) 104 Saďd Haddou (Fra) 114 Benny De Schrooder (Bel) 105 Rony Martias (Fra) 115 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) 106 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) 116 Tom Stubbe (Bel) 107 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) 117 Bart Vanheule (Bel) 108 Erki Pütsep (Est) 118 Evert Verbist (Bel) Agritubel Skil-Shimano 121 Linas Balciunas (Ltu) 131 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) 122 Aivaras Baranauskas (Ltu) 132 Fabien Bacquet (Fra) 123 Emilien-Benoît Berges (Fra) 133 David Deroo (Fra) 124 Freddy Bichot (Fra) 134 Christian Müller (Ger) 125 Romain Feillu (Fra) 135 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) 126 Mikel Gaztańaga Echeverria (Spa) 136 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) 127 Anthony Ravard (Fra) 137 Kenny Van Hummel (Ned) 128 Denis Robin (Fra) 138 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Gunn-newlyn-m.Donnelly Doha Team 141 Glenn Bak (Den) 151 Khaleel Abduljanan (Qat) 142 Christophe Beddegenoodts (Bel) 152 Ahmed Al Doseri (Brn) 143 Mark Cassidy (Irl) 153 Radhwan Al-moraqab (Qat) 144 Stephen Gallagher (Irl) 154 Badr Banihammad (UAE) 145 Paul Healion (Irl) 155 Mohamed Bin Took (UAE) 146 Tim Meeussen (Bel) 156 Tareq Esmaeili (Qat) 147 Paidi O'Brien (Irl) 157 Mohammed Hussain (Brn) 148 Rieno Stofferis (Bel) 158 Moosa Said (Qat) Iran 161 Alireza Haghi (IRI) 162 Ahad Kazemi Sarai (IRI) 163 Mohammad Mozafari (IRI) 164 Hossein Iri Nateghi (IRI) 165 Mohammad Rajablou (IRI) 166 Hamid Shiri Sisah (IRI) 167 Mehdi Sohrabi (IRI) 168 Alireza Ashgarzadeh (IRI)
Past winners
2006 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step Innergetic 2005 Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC 2004 Robert Hunter (RSA) Rabobank 2003 Alberto Loddo (Ita) Lampre 2002 Thorsten Wilhelms (Ger) Team Coast Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
