1st Ladies' Tour of Qatar - WE 2.1

Qatar, February 8-10, 2009

2008 results Stage List Preview Start List

The Stages

Stage 1 - February 8: Museum Of Islamic Art - Doha Shafallah, 94km
Stage 2 - February 9: Qatar Foundation - Oryx Farm, 110km
Stage 3 - February 10 : Camel Race Track - Al Khor Corniche, 109km

Qatar welcomes first women's tour

By Gregor Brown in Doha, Qatar

Qatar welcomes the inaugural Ladies' Tour of Qatar on the heels of the successful men's stage race. The three-stage women's event, February 8 to 10, attracted some of the sports top riders to challenge for the overall leader's golden top.

"We believe in sports as a way to keep well physically and mentally, and cycling is something that everyone can practice. This race is a continuation of the [men's] Tour of Qatar; we have gained experience in race organisation that we've applied to the women's event," said President of the Qatar Cycling Federation, Sheikh Khalid Bin Ali Bin Abdullah Al Thani.

The stages are each around 100 kilometres long and each is based near the country's capital of Doha. Based on the results of the men's race this last week, the women's races will be decided in sprints from those strong enough to deal with the crosswinds and intense racing conditions.

There will be 15 teams of six riders for the 2009 edition. Team Columbia will be a strong force. It will work for its sprinter Emilia Fahlin. She will go head-to-head with the likes of Team Italy's Giorgia Bronzini, Lotto's Rochelle Gilmore, Cervélo's Kirsten Wild and Team Australia's Kirsty Broun.

Team USA brings Geelong World Cup winner Katheryn Mattis. Qatar will give fans a good indicator of her form for 2009 and if she recovered from the two broken collarbones that plagued her 2008 season.

Like the men's race last week, there will be three classification jerseys awarded each day. Gold for the overall classification, silver for the leader in the points classification and blue for best young rider (under 25).

The stages total 313 kilometres. Stage one is 94 kilometres from Doha to Al Khor and back, stage two travels 110 kilometres from Doha to Al Shahaniyah and stage three starts in Al Shahaniyah and ends 109 kilometres later in Al Khor.

Start list

Team Columbia Women                     Cervelo Test Team
 
1 Luise Keller (Ger)                    11 Kirsten Wild (Ned)
2 Katherine Bates (Aus)                 12 Regina Bruins (Ned)
3 Chantal Beltman (Ned)                 13 Lieselot Decroix (Bel)
4 Emilia Fahlin (Swe)                   14 Sarah Düster (Ger)
5 Ellen Van Dijk (Ned)                  15 Pascale Schnider (Swi)
6 Linda Villumsen (Den)                 16 Patricia Schwager (Swi)
 
Nürnberger Versicherung                 Team Leontien.nl
 
21 Suzanne De Goede (Ned)               31 Marlijn Binnendijk (Ned)
22 Christina Becker (Ger)               32 Chantal Blaak (Ned)
23 Lisa Brennauer (Ger)                 33 Marit Huisman (Ned)
24 Eva Lutz (Ger)                       34 Monique Van De Ree (Ned)
25 Regina Schleicher (Ger)              35 Suzanne Van Veen (Ned)
 
Team Flexpoint                          Bigla Cycling Team
 
41 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe)              51 Noemi Cantele (Ita)
42 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned)                 52 Veronica Andreasson (Swe)
43 Loes Markerink (Ned)                 53 Nicole Brändli (Swi)
44 Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned)     54 Jennifer Hohl (Swi)
45 Trine Schmidt (Den)                  55 Monica Holler (Swe)
46 Iris Slappendel (Ned)                56 Bettina Kuhn (Swi)
 
Selle Italia-Ghezzi                     US National Team
 
61 Martine Bras (Ned)                   71 Katheryn Mattis (USA)
62 Agne Bagdonaviciute (Ltu)            72 Katharine Carroll (USA)
63 Giada Borgato (Ita)                  73 Janel Holcomb (USA)
64 Sigrid Corneo (Slo)                  74 Brooke Miller (USA)
65 Gloria Presti (Ita)                  75 Rebecca Much (USA)
66 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita)               76 Lauren Tamayo (USA)
 
Australia                               Italy
 
81 Emma Rickards (Aus)                  91 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita)
82 Kirsty Broun (Aus)                   92 Alessandra Borchi (Ita)
83 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus)               93 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita)
84 Lauren Kitchen (Aus)                 94 Alessia Massaccesi (Ita)
85 Peta Mullens (Aus)                   95 Eleonora Soldo (Ita)
86 Carlee Taylor (Aus)                  96 Marta Tagliaferro (Ita)
 
Giant Pro Cycling                       France
 
101 Min Gao (Chn)                       111 Christelle Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra)
102 Xin Liu (Chn)                       112 Mélanie Bravard (Fra)
103 Xiao Ling Luo (Chn)                 113 Marina Jaunatre (Fra)
104 Lang Meng (Chn)                     114 Magali Mocquery (Fra)
105 Fei Wang (Chn)                      115 Fanny Riberot (Fra)
106 Li Ping Zhang (Chn)                 116 Nadia Triquet-Claude (Fra)
 
South Africa                            Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam
 
121 Cashandra Slingerland (RSA)         131 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus)
122 Lynette Burger (RSA)                132 Catherine Delfosse (Bel)
123 Robyn De Groot (RSA)                133 Véra Koedooder (Ned)
124 Anriette Schoeman (RSA)             134 Kim Schoonbaert (Bel)
125 Cherise Taylor (RSA)                135 Annelies Van Doorslaer (Bel)
126 Marissa Van Der Merwe (RSA)         136 Grace Verbeke (Bel)
 
Japan                                   
 
141 Mao Chino (Jpn)                     
142 Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn)               
143 Chisako Harigai (Jpn)               
144 Chiaki Konnai (Jpn)                 
145 Ayako Toyooka (Jpn)                 
146 Yuka Uda (Jpn)