Canadian Cyclist - Tour of Qatar: Stage 3

Daily News

February 7/12 12:52 pm - Tour of Qatar: Stage 3

Posted by Editoress on 02/7/12

In impressive fashion, World champion Mark Cavendish took to his first victory with the Rainbow jersey on his shoulders on stage 3 of the Tour of Qatar. Part of a 39-man "favourites" group that managed to break away in the closing moments of the day’s race, the Brit outsprinted Tom Boonen to the line. The Belgian keeps the overall leader’s Golden Jersey.

Hundreds of young school pupils from Dukhan came to welcome the heroes of the Tour of Qatar and especially Team Sky and its World champion Mark Cavendish. A real moral booster before a demanding 146.5km stage for the 124 remaining riders (one non-starter: Avery - CSS).

After just a kilometre under the bright sunshine and wind of western Qatar, four men managed to break away from the pack: Ignatyev (KAT), Sohrabi (LTB), Ojavee (CSS) and Lemair (BGT). Their lead over the pack grew rapidly from 30" at km 2.5 to a maximum 5’25 at the first intermediate sprint (km 66) claimed by Sohrabi ahead of Ignatyev and Lemair.

From then on the gap started dropping. At the second bonus sprint (km 104.5) won again by Sohrabi in front of Ignatyev and Ojavee, the front men’s advantage had dropped down to 2’25 as several teams took command of the chase.

At km 112, as the wind blew sideways on the course, the pack broke up into several groups with most of the strong men breaking away. 35 riders including race leader Boonen (OPQ), title-holder Renshaw (RAB), World champion Cavendish (SKY), as well as Gilbert, Blythe (BMC), Cancellara (RNT) and Farrar (GRM) caught up with the four escapees at km 117.

The gap between the leading group and the chasing pack including the likes of Sagan (LIQ) grew from 35" to 55" with 20 kilometres to go. The race favourites remained together all the way to the final straight by the Al Gharafa Stadium, where a 39-man sprint was to take place. Well positionned in the wheel of stage 1 winner Tom Boonen, Mark Cavendish flew to his first success with the rainbow jersey. The British rider beat Boonen and Kruopis (GEC) to the line.

The overall leader’s Golden Jersey remains on the shoulders of Boonen who now has a 6" lead over Farrar (GRM) and 8" over Cavendish. The Belgian also keeps command of the points’ standings while Selig (KAT) becomes the best young rider of the event.

Courtesy Tour of Qatar

Stage 3: Dukan to Al Gharafa Stadium, 146.5 km
1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling	03:23:48
2 Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
3 Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Greenedge Cycling Team
4 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
5 John Degenkolb (Ger) Project 1T4I
6 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Barracuda
7 Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team
8 David Boucher (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
9 Robert Wagner (Ger) Radioshack - Nissan
10 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Katusha Team
11 Adam Blythe (GBr) BMC Racing Team
12 Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
13 Mehdi Sohrabi Iran Lotto - Belisol Team
14 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling
15 Baden Cooke (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
16 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team	all s.t.
17 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team	0:03
18 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
19 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Esp) Sky Procycling
20 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto - Belisol Team
21 Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team
22 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Barracuda
23 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Katusha Team
24 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team
25 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Radioshack - Nissan
26 Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Barracuda
27 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - Barracuda	all s.t.
28 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda	0:10
29 Alexandre Lemair (Fra) Bridgestone Anchor
30 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
31 Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
32 Tom Veelers (Ned) Project 1T4I	all s.t.
33 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Project 1T4I	0:16
34 Murilo Fischer (Bra) Garmin - Barracuda	0:19
35 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Greenedge Cycling Team	0:32
36 Svein Tuft (Can) Greenedge Cycling Team	s.t.
37 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Radioshack - Nissan	0:34
38 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team	0:39
39 Gregory Rast (Sui) Radioshack - Nissan	1:21
40 Cristiano Benenati (Ita) Farnese Vini	1:29
41 Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Farnese Vini
42 Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
43 Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
44 Gatis Smukulis Latvia Katusha Team
45 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Farnese Vini
46 Allan Davis (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
47 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Bigmat
48 Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team
49 Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Katusha Team
50 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
51 Koen De Kort (Ned) Project 1T4I
52 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
53 Fumiyuki Beppu Japan Greenedge Cycling Team
54 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
55 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
56 Yohan Offredo (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
57 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Bigmat
58 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Lotto - Belisol Team
59 Maciek Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas - Cannondale
60 Roy Curvers (Ned) Project 1T4I
61 Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling
62 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale
63 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale
64 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini
65 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
66 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale
67 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto - Belisol Team
68 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
69 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale
70 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale
71 Luca Ascani (Ita) Farnese Vini
72 Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team
73 Davide Appollonio (Ita) Sky Procycling
74 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas - Cannondale
75 Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
76 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team
77 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Farnese Vini
78 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Radioshack - Nissan
79 Thomas Bertolini (Ita) Farnese Vini
80 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team
81 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team
82 David McCann (Irl) RTS Racing Team
83 Michael Schƒr (Sui) BMC Racing Team
84 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
85 Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team
86 Thomas Lebas (Fra) Bridgestone Anchor
87 Albert Timmer (Ned) Project 1T4I
88 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
89 Diego Caccia (Ita) Farnese Vini
90 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp) Radioshack - Nissan
91 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale
92 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
93 Michael Barry (Can) Sky Procycling
94 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto - Belisol Team
95 Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin - Barracuda
96 Jens Mouris (Ned) Greenedge Cycling Team
97 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
98 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
99 Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha Team
100 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
101 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Radioshack - Nissan
102 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky Procycling
103 Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling
104 Domenik Klemme (Ger) Project 1T4I
105 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Radioshack - Nissan
106 Roger Kluge (Ger) Project 1T4I
107 Jacob Rathe (USA) Garmin - Barracuda	all s.t.
108 Jai Crawford (Aus) RTS Racing Team	10:57
109 Chin Lung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team
110 Lee Rodgers (GBr) RTS Racing Team
111 Blaise Sonnery (Fra) Bridgestone Anchor
112 Alex Coutts (GBr) RTS Racing Team
113 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
114 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
115 Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team
116 Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor	all s.t.
117 Klaas Sys (Bel) Bridgestone Anchor	12:15
118 Wei Kei Chang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team
119 Hayoto Yoshida (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
120 Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor
121 Gang Xu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
122 Pengda Jiao (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
123 Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) RTS Racing Team
124 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team	all s.t.
DNS Clinton Robert Avery (NZl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team

GC
1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team	06:47:49
2 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Barracuda	at 0:06
3 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling	0:08
4 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Barracuda	0:12
5 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin - Barracuda
6 Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Barracuda	both s.t.
7 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Katusha Team	0:17
8 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling	0:18
9 Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team	s.t.
10 Adam Blythe (GBr) BMC Racing Team	0:19
11 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
12 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
13 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda	all s.t.
14 Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Greenedge Cycling Team	0:21
15 Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Katusha Team
16 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Esp) Sky Procycling	both s.t.
17 Robert Wagner (Ger) Radioshack - Nissan	0:23
18 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team	0:25
19 Baden Cooke (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team
20 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team	both s.t.
21 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Radioshack - Nissan	0:26
22 Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto - Belisol Team	0:26
23 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team	0:29
24 Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team	s.t.
25 David Boucher (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat	0:32
26 John Degenkolb (Ger) Project 1T4I	0:33
27 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team	0:36
28 Tom Veelers (Ned) Project 1T4I	0:43
29 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Project 1T4I	0:49
30 Svein Tuft (Can) Greenedge Cycling Team	0:57
31 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Radioshack - Nissan
32 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Greenedge Cycling Team	both s.t.
33 Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team	1:12
34 Mart Ojavee (Est) Champion System Pro Cycling Team	1:21
35 Alexandre Lemair (Fra) Bridgestone Anchor	1:29
36 Murilo Fischer (Bra) Garmin - Barracuda	1:38
37 Davide Appollonio (Ita) Sky Procycling	1:45
38 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team
39 Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha Team
40 Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team	all s.t.
41 Gatis Smukulis Latvia Katusha Team	1:47
42 Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Katusha Team
43 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas - Cannondale
44 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team
45 Michael Barry (Can) Sky Procycling
46 Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling	all s.t.
47 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale	1:51
48 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale
49 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale
50 Maciek Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas - Cannondale
51 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale	all s.t.
52 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Radioshack - Nissan	1:52
53 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp) Radioshack - Nissan	s.t.
54 Fumiyuki Beppu Japan Greenedge Cycling Team	1:54
55 Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
56 Jens Mouris (Ned) Greenedge Cycling Team
57 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) BMC Racing Team	all s.t.
58 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto - Belisol Team	1:55
59 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto - Belisol Team
60 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Lotto - Belisol Team
61 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team
62 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team	all s.t.
63 Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling	1:58
64 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat	2:01
65 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Bigmat
66 Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
67 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
68 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) FDJ-Bigmat
69 Yohan Offredo (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat
70 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ-Bigmat	all s.t.
71 Koen De Kort (Ned) Project 1T4I	2:02
72 Roger Kluge (Ger) Project 1T4I
73 Albert Timmer (Ned) Project 1T4I	both s.t.
74 Roy Curvers (Ned) Project 1T4I	2:04
75 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini	2:09
76 Luca Ascani (Ita) Farnese Vini
77 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Farnese Vini
78 Diego Caccia (Ita) Farnese Vini	all s.t.
79 Robbie Mcewen (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team	2:12
80 Mehdi Sohrabi Iran Lotto - Belisol Team	2:16
81 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale	2:19
82 Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin - Barracuda	2:22
83 Thomas Bertolini (Ita) Farnese Vini	2:30
84 Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Farnese Vini	2:32
85 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team	2:41
86 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
87 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team	both s.t.
88 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale	2:46
89 Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team
90 Michael Schƒr (Sui) BMC Racing Team	both s.t.
91 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor	2:49
92 Thomas Lebas (Fra) Bridgestone Anchor	2:49
93 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Farnese Vini	2:56
94 Allan Davis (Aus) Greenedge Cycling Team	2:58
95 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team	3:03
96 David McCann (Irl) RTS Racing Team	3:12
97 Jacob Rathe (USA) Garmin - Barracuda	3:23
98 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky Procycling	3:25
99 Gregory Rast (Sui) Radioshack - Nissan	3:30
100 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Radioshack - Nissan	3:31
101 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Radioshack - Nissan	s.t.
102 Domenik Klemme (Ger) Project 1T4I	3:37
103 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team	3:47
104 Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team	3:58
105 Cristiano Benenati (Ita) Farnese Vini	4:17
106 Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team	4:44
107 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team	5:31
108 Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing Team	11:22
109 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team	s.t.
110 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team	11:23
111 Blaise Sonnery (Fra) Bridgestone Anchor	12:17
112 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quickstep Cycling Team	12:31
113 Jai Crawford (Aus) RTS Racing Team	12:40
114 Alex Coutts (GBr) RTS Racing Team
115 Lee Rodgers (GBr) RTS Racing Team	both s.t.
116 Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor	13:35
117 Hayoto Yoshida (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor	14:06
118 Klaas Sys (Bel) Bridgestone Anchor	14:12
119 Pengda Jiao (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team	15:09
120 Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor	15:11
121 Chin Lung Huang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team	15:58
122 Gang Xu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team	17:52
123 Wei Kei Chang (Tpe) RTS Racing Team	26:36
124 Sergey Kudentsov (Rus) RTS Racing Team	26:51

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