The History
The Tour of Qatar was first run in 2002 as a way for the Arab country to promote itself. While other young races often struggle for funding and promotion in their formative years, the richest nation (per capita) in the world threw its weight behind the event, hiring Tour de France organisers ASO to run the race.
With the country’s highest point being a limestone outcrop 103m above sea level, this definitely isn’t a race for the climbers. The race has been dominated by sprinters and classics specialists, who have made use of the crosswinds sweeping off the Arabian Gulf to prepare for the likes of Paris-Roubaix.
Tom Boonen has combined his crosswind expertise with a final turn of pace to win the race overall on four occasions. The most recent of these wins in 2012 was aided by the re-introduction of a team time trial, a facet which returns again this year.
The Race
Stage 1: Katara Cultural Village => Dukhan Beach (145km)
Stage 2: Al Rufaa Street => Al Rufaa Street (TTT) (14km)
Stage 3: Al Wakra => Mesaieed (143km)
Stage 4: Camel Race Track => Al Khor Corniche (160km)
Stage 5: Al Zubara Fort => Madinat Al Shamal (154km)
Stage 6: Sealine Beach Resort => Doha Corniche (116km)
Not much point giving you stage profiles here. All the stages are flat, and the racing will depend on the direction and strength of the wind. Last year the stage into Madinat Al Shamal proved decisive with Boonen winning from an elite group of Cancellara, Flecha and Veelers after punctures and crosswinds off the gulf had wreacked havoc. The team time trial has also been extended to 14km, but with time bonuses on offer on every road stage, this is unlikely to prove decisive.
The Contenders
The outcome of this race hinges on the wind, but the winner is often a classics specialist with a decent sprint, or a sprinter who can just about stay with the big guys. The overall classification therefore seems very open, but if I had to pick a few riders to keep an eye on, I’d look towards the likes of Degenkolb, Blythe, Phinney, Cancellara, Boasson Hagen and Flecha. The two BMC riders look especially threatening given the strength of their squad, which should duel it out with Omega-Pharma Quickstep for the team time trial.
The Teams
AG2R La Mondiale
Yauheni Hutarovich
Davide Appollonio
Gediminas Bagdonas
Julien Berard
Steve Chainel
Hugo Houle
Valentin Iglinsky
Sebastien Minard
AG2R will be looking to get Yauheni Hutarovich into a good position for the sprints, although the Belarusian looked in poor form in the Tour Down Under where he could only muster a solitary top ten finish. Appollonio is also a decent sprinter, but his small build might see him struggle if the wind picks up.
Argos-Shimano
John Degenkolb
Nikias Arndt
Roy Curvers
Koen de Kort
Luke Mezkec
Ramon Sinkeldam
Tom Stamsnijder
Tom Veelers
Astana
Andrea Guardini
Borut Bozic
Andriy Grivko
Dmitry Gruzdev
Jacopo Guarnieri
Arman Kamyshev
Alexey Lutseko
Dmitry Murayev
After making the step up to a ProTour team for this year, Andrea Guardini will be a threat in bunch sprints, even if he occasionally seems to be a mysterious absentee on some finishes. If Plan A doesn’t work out, Borut Bozic also has a fair turn of speed, but won’t be threatening for the win.
Bardiani-CSF
Sacha Modolo
Nicola Boem
Marco Canola
Sonny Colbrelli
Marco Coledan
Filippo Fortin
Andrea Pasqualon
After overcoming Cavendish at the Tour de San Luis, Sacha Modolo’s confidence will be sky high going into the Tour of Qatar. Sonny Colbrelli is another good rider with an impressive palmarès from the Italian amateur ranks. However, with an average age of just 23, the team may struggle with lack of experience if the race is ripped apart by the wind.
BMC
Greg Van Avermaet
Adam Blythe
Brent Bookwalter
Marcus Burghardt
Yannick Ejissen
Taylor Phinney
Michael Schar
Lawrence Warbasse
One of the strongest teams in the race, BMC bring a wealth of talent to the gulf state. After a strong showing in the spring last year, Greg Van Avermaet will be looking to use the Tour of Qatar as a stepping stone towards the classic win which has eluded him so far. Taylor Phinney came of age in 2012 and he will be looking to use his incredible strength to support his leader, if not grab an opportunity for himself. Robbed by a ill-timed puncture in last year’s race, Adam Blythe will also be looking to make amends, and will likely be the American team’s option when it comes down to a sprint.
Cannondale
Elia Viviani
Maciej Bodnar
Guillaume Boivin
Tiziano Dall’Antonia
Kristijan Koren
Daniele Ratto
Fabio Sabatini
Another young Italian sprinter, Elia Viviani captured his first WorldTour victory at the Tour of Beijing last year and will be hoping to find similar form in Qatar. Fabio Sabatini also has a decent finish on him, and may have one eye on the classics after finishing 13th in the Tour of Flanders last year. Meanwhile Bodnar and Koren are also good, strong support riders.
Champion System
Matt Brammeier
Chun Kai Fen
Matthias Friedemann
Chan Jae Jang
Pengda Jiao
Muhamad Othman
Bobbie Traksel
Gang Xu
The Chinese team brings an eclectic mix of nationalities to Qatar. The arrival of Bobbie Traksel from Landbouwkrediet brings some classics experience to the team, while Irish champion Matt Brammeier can also be a good rider on his day.
FDJ
Nacer Bouhanni
David Boucher
Murilo Fischer
Matthieu Ladagnous
Johan Le Bon
Yoann Offredo
Dominique Rollin
Geoffrey Soupe
FDJ bring plenty of cards to the table in Qatar. French national champion Nacer Bouhanni was a consistent threat in second-tier races last year and will be looking to make the step up in 2013 and challenge in the bunch finishes. Fischer, Rollin, and Soupe will be able to provide a decent lead out.
Fresh from a one year ban for three doping ‘no shows’, Yoann Offredo will be hoping to get his career back on track. He looked strong in this race last year, and will be looking forward to the classics, but whether he has enough form after a year without racing remains to be seen. Fischer, Rollin, and Soupe will be able to provide a decent lead out.
IAM Cycling
Heinrich Haussier
Marco Bandiera
Martin Elmiger
Jonathan Fumeaux
Kristof Goddaert
Sebastien Hinault
Reto Hollenstein
Pirmin Lang
Twice second in this race, and a three time winner of the points classification, Heinrich Haussler will be looking to make the step up in 2013 in the absence of Tom Boonen. Strong in both the sprints and the crosswinds, Haussler will be able to rely on the support of Martin Elmiger and Sebastien Hinault, both half decent one-day riders in their own rights.
Japan
Yusuke Hatanaka
Takashi Miyazawa
Kazuhiro Mori
Taji Nishitani
Junya Sano
Miyataka Shimizu
Yuzuru Suzuki
Kohel Uchima
Omega Pharma Quickstep
Mark Cavendish
Iljo Keisse
Zdenek Stybar
Niki Terpstra
Matteo Trentin
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
Stijn Vandenbergh
Martin Velits
For most teams, the absence of a rider like Tom Boonen, who is recovering from surgery on an elbow injury, would be a major loss. However, as replacements go, Mark Cavendish isn’t bad. The Manxman will be look to build on his stage win at the Tour de San Luis, and repeat his two stage wins from last year, with perhaps one eye on the overall. However, if this doesn’t work out. Niki Terpstra is among a number of strong classics riders in the squad who can capitalise if the race splits in crosswinds
Orica Greenedge
Allan Davis
Fumiyuki Beppu
Sam Bewley
Baden Cooke
Jens Keukeleire
Aidis Kruopis
Brett Lancaster
Jens Mouris
Allan Davis will be looking to pick placings in sprint finishes, but I’m not sure he can challenge the likes of Cavendish and Degenkolb. The rest of the team contains a wealth of experience, and Baden Cooke performed well in Qatar last year. Jens Keukelerie won Nokere-Koerse and the Dreidaagse van West-Vlaanderen at the age of 21 while riding for Cofidis in 2010 and has potential to step up to the next level. Perhaps he can begin to show this in Qatar.
Katusha
Pavel Brutt
Marco Haller
Vladimir Isaichev
Alexander Kristoff
Aliaksandr Kuchynski
Alexander Porsev
Rüdiger Selig
Gatis Smukilis
Katusha will take some strong riders to the Tour of Qatar, but as is the case when Joaquin Rodriguez isn’t riding, there doesn’t seem to be a clear leader. Alexander Kristoff is a half decent sprinter, with a bronze medal in the Olympic Games, while Austrian second-year pro Marco Haller looks like a good prospect, taking a stage of the Tour of Beijing. Pavel Brutt and Vladimir Isaichev are the most experienced riders, and will be looking to captain the team on the road.
Net App-Endura
Zak Dempster
Russell Downing
Markus Eichner
Blaz Jarc
Roger Kluge
Andreas Schillinger
Daniel Schorn
Paul Voss
The German/British Pro Continental team are another squad who come to Qatar without a clear leader. Paul Voss and Roger Kluge are both strong riders, but would be average riders on a better team. Zak Dempster is a talented rider who took the British domestic scene to pieces a few years ago, but not suited to the racing we’re going to see in Qatar. Perhaps look to Russell Downing, with the Yorkshireman being useful at seizing an opportunity in group finishes.
Radioshack Leopard
Fabian Cancellara
Stijn Devolder
Tony Gallopin
Markel Irizar
Yaroslav Popovych
Gregory Rast
Hayden Roulston
Nelson Oliveira
With no out-and-out sprinter, Radioshack seem to banking on a decisive split in the race to put them in a position for the overall. Fabian Cancellara will be looking to make up for the disappointment of last season, and will be using this race to put him in decent shape for the classics. With a super strong supporting cast with plenty of experience, Dirk Demol will be disappointed if the team doesn’t put in a good performance
Saxo-Tinkoff
Daniele Bennati
Matti Breschel
Jonathan Cantwell
Jonas Jorgensen
Karsten Kroon
Marko Kump
Anders Lund
Matteo Tosatto
Sky Procycling
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Bernhard Eisel
Matthew Hayman
Salvatore Puccio
Gabriel Rasch
Luke Rowe
Ian Stannard
Geraint Thomas
Boasson Hagen is the obvious pick for the sprints, and has the potential to challenge for the overall. If that doesn’t work out, Stannard and Eisel are both strong enough to be up there with the likes of Cancellara should the race fall to pieces in the crosswinds. If there is a man in the peloton who knows how to suffer, then it’s Ian Stannard, and perhaps the British national champion can use 2013 to seize more opportunities for himself.
Vacansoleil
Juan Antonio Flecha
Martijn Keizer
Sergey Lagutin
Marco Marcato
Barry Markus
Wouter Mol
Rob Ruijgh
Kenny Van Hummel
At the age of 35, Juan Antonio Flecha could excused be excused for going a bit slower these days. However after another superb season in 2012, the Spaniard is still a force to be reckoned with, and should be right on the front if the wind gets up. A surprise winner of the race in 2010, Wouter Mol has done close to nothing since, and will be looking to improve in the coming season. Elsewhere, Marco Marcato and Kenny Van Hummel are both riders who occasionally have decent sprints in their back pockets.
Coverage
Due to a last minute discovery that they no longer owned the TV rights, Eurosport will not be covering the race this year. Instead there will be live streaming courtesy of Al-Jazeera which can be found here. Coverage will start at either 11.30am for the first stage and 12pm for each of the subsequent stages.
I will also be providing updates on Twitter for as much of the race as I can. Follow me here.
And finally, I am currently providing live updates for the Etoile de Bessèges in the South of France, the opening stage race of the European season. I’m the only source of updates for this race in English, so if you’re interested then you can also find this on Twitter.
Student Cyclist 