Professional cyclists should be racing in the exposed wind-swept roads of the Tour of Qatar this week – just as they have done for the past 15 years. Qatar's decision to call off the race this winter, however, has left a hole in the calendar and in the hearts of cycling fans.

The UCI scheduled the 2017 edition for February 6 to 10, with the women's race the week before. The race provided many classics stars the race preparation that they needed. Without it, they are lining up in various smaller races around Europe, in training camps or – as in Iljo Keisse's case – riding more on the track.

The only good news is that it may return in 2018. Until then, here is why we miss the Tour of Qatar.

>>> Borrowed time: Why lack of local support was the Tour of Qatar’s real undoing

1. Lost momentum

The UCI is trying to create a season-long WorldTour narrative, going from the Tour Down Under in January to the Tour of Guangxi in October.

It appeared to be going well: Richie Porte (BMC Racing) won the Tour Down Under and Nikias Arndt (Sunweb) the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Now, however, it feels as though someone slammed the brakes as we were speeding 120kph down the Autoroute and the Autogrill cappuccino went all over the dash.

Looking up, we are wondering what happened. How can a WorldTour skip from January 29 to February 23, the start of the Abu Dhabi Tour, and leave the biggest gap in the calendar? With the gap, the momentum is lost.

Now fans must wait until next Wednesday, when most of the big stars start in the Volta ao Algarve and the Ruta del Sol stage races – neither are WorldTour events.

2. Echelons

No other race would guarantee such strong winds like the five-day stage race over the Qatari peninsula. The winds, coming from a right angle, would rip the peloton apart and form cyclists into echelons immediately. It helps explain why Belgian super-team Quick-Step dominated the race, winning eight of the 15 editions.

3. All-star cast

Because of its flat and often wind-swept roads, the race attracted an all-star cast of top classics cyclists and hard-man sprinters.

Tom Boonen (Quick-Step Floors) went almost every year, winning in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012. In 2015, he placed ninth in a field that included Niki Terpstra, Alexander Kristoff, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard, Peter Sagan, Greg Van Avermaet – all in the top 10 – Fabian Cancellara and building for his Paris-Roubaix farewell, Bradley Wiggins.

4. The bleakness

The bleakness of the white rocky desertscape would be a turn off for most, but the Qataris had a winning formula with a colourful 144-rider strong peloton on the horizon.

That plain canvas made the modern cycling warriors pop to life more than they would in France or Italy, where one's eyes could wonder to the standing mountains, deep-blue lakes or lively fans.

5. La Doyenne

This was La Doyenne for Middle Eastern racing. When it debuted in 2002 with a Thorsten Wilhelms win, many were scratching their heads. Thanks to organiser Eddy Merckx and the ASO connection, the race was able to keep bringing back big teams. Its success led to the Tour of Oman, the Dubai Tour and most recently, the Abu Dhabi Tour.

This year, the four races were due to come together in a 'Gulf Swing' – back-to-back races from the Dubai Tour starting on January 31 to the Abu Dhabi Tour ending on February 26. Qatar left a hiccup in the swing, but it must not be forgotten that without the Qatari tour, the other tours may have never existed.

Qatar Cycling says that the Tour of Qatar desert stage race will return in 2018 after cancelling the 2017 edition.

Over its last 15 editions, the wind-swept stages over Qatar's rocky desert peninsula became an important for cyclists building towards the classics. It received WorldTour status for 2017.

However, the organiser pulled the plug without explaining the reason with only one month before its scheduled February date. The Ladies Tour of Qatar was also cancelled.

“During the coming period, the federation is planning to organise strong local tournaments in a bid to discover local talents to represent the Qatari national teams,” Mohamed Al Kuwari, the new president of the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation, told the Qatar News Agency.

“The federation will host international tournaments again next year, the most important of which will be the Tour of Qatar.”

>>> Borrowed time: Why lack of local support was the Tour of Qatar’s real undoing

Cycling great Eddy Merckx and fellow Belgian Dirk De Pauw organised the race since 2002 for Qatar’s sports ministry and cycling federation. Tour de France organiser ASO supplied logistical help.

The race was presented at a WorldTour seminar in Mallorca this December. Everything seemed in place for the race to debut in the WorldTour series after racing at HC status.

The race would have been part of four-race consecutive 'Gulf Swing', starting with the Dubai Tour and continuing with the Tour of Qatar, the Tour of Oman and the Abu Dhabi Tour. The other three races are due to continue.

On December 28, however, the UCI said that the race would not continue.

“The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has today received notice of the cancellation of both the Tour of Qatar and Ladies Tour of Qatar," it said. "It is understood the decision follows difficulty attracting sponsor financial support.”

The announcement appeared odd given that the Tour of Qatar just presented its 2017 race in the Mallorca WorldTour seminar. Part of the problem may have been linked to a change in logistical provider, from ASO to John Lelangue.

Belgian Lelangue, the national federation's director of sport for Qatar, helped the Gulf state win the rights and host the 2016 World Championships. It was the first time for the championships in the Middle East. However, some complained of excessive heat and lack of crowds.

Despite losing the sprint for the final stage by the smallest of margins in Doha today, Mark Cavendish won the overall at the Tour of Qatar. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) secured second place on general classification, taking his third stage win by less than a tyre’s width from the Briton.

Cavendish’s stage one victory coupled with his performance in Wednesday’s time trial, was sufficient to secure overall victory for the second time, after winning in 2013 with Omega Pharma-QuickStep.

The Manxman had tipped team-mate Edvald Boasson Hagen to win the general classification and that was on the cards until his untimely double puncture in yesterday’s stage. Though pleased with his win, Cavendish clearly felt his team mate deserved the victory.

>>> Tour of Qatar 2016: Reports, news and more

“Of course the gold jersey should really be on the shoulders of Edvald,” he told reporters. “But Dimension Data’s got it anyway.

“It was a good week racing as a team,” the 30-year-old continued. “We put our team in the front and controlled the race, which was great for the new sponsors and it’s incredible to highlight the Quebeka charity.”

Cavendish wore the leader’s jersey for all but one day, wearing it after his stage one win which saw him blitz Kristoff in the sprint finish. From then on, however, it was the Katusha rider who dominated the sprints, though Cavendish was close on all but Thursday’s stage, when the Russian-registered Katusha team outnumbered Dimension Data four to one in the final.

Kristoff, who won last year’s Tour of Flanders, began today’s final stage just nine seconds down on Cavendish and, with bonus seconds available, some thought Kristoff may have tried to gain time on the gold jersey.

He was, however, riding for second place, telling us: “Yesterday you see everything can happen. But I did not think it was realistic because if we took seconds he would also take seconds. He’s usually even faster than me in these flat stages, so I was thinking it would be impossible unless he had some trouble.”

The finish-line photo showed just how little there was between the two sprinters, and as they finished it appeared as though neither knew who had won. “It was one of the closest [sprints] I have been in,” continued Kristoff. “I think Mark was a bit further in front of me, but maybe I have longer arms to throw the bike, so then I just beat him.”

Cavendish was typically more analytical: “We knew it was going to be fast and we wanted Edvald to go long for us, but Katusha had the same idea, so we got a bit mixed up. I knew they would leave a gap on the right for him to go, and I followed, though that was costly because I had to leave it a little bit late.

>>> Mark Cavendish to decide on Track World Championships participation during Tour of Qatar

“He’s won three stages, it’s not like he’s going bad, it’s not like I’ve lost to anyone who’s not strong. We’re just happy to have the gold jersey.”

Cavendish has not yet finalised his programme, and told reporters he had not made a decision whether to make himself available for the the Track World Championships next month.

Results

Tour of Qatar 2016, stage five: Sealine Beach Resort to Doha Corniche, 114km

1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha

2. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data

3. Jans Roy (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert

4. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Fortuneo-Vital Concept

5. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida

6. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18

7. Moreno Hofland (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo

8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data

9. Andre Looij (Ned) Roompot-Oranje Peloton

10. Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare all same time

Final general classification

1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data

2. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 5 secs

3. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 8 secs

4. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing at 12 secs

5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data at 25 secs

6. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den) Giant-Alpecin at 36 secs

7. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 at 47 secs

8. Sven Erik Bystom (Nor) Katusha at 55 secs

9. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha at 56 secs

10. Michael Schar (Swi) BMC Racing at 1-04

Just 24 hours after the euphoria of his time trial win, Edvald Boasson Hagen’s hopes of winning the Tour of Qatar general classification are more than likely gone. The Norwegian Dimension Data rider punctured twice on the final of four laps in today’s stage in Madinat Al Shamal.

The day had been relatively routine for the gold jersey wearer, whose team controlled the race when they needed to. The one notable issue early in the race was the number of punctures being suffered by riders of all teams. There were at least 10 in as many kilometres.

The drama began as the peloton approached the finish line for the penultimate time. LottoNL-Jumbo, looking to split the field and set up a stage win, upped the pace, causing the peloton to split in the wind, which had been increasing throughout the afternoon.

>>> Mark Cavendish back in Tour of Qatar lead after stage four

At that time, Boasson Hagen was safely in the large front group with his teammates, before disaster struck. Having changed one wheel he remounted but stopped again within just a few metres with a second puncture, taking a team mate’s bike rather than wait for a second wheel.

While Mark Cavendish, then second on general classification, stayed with the front group, the rest of the Dimension Data team dropped back to help their leader. However, by that time the gap was around 40 seconds: too much so late in the day.

>>> Brit Mark McNally makes his mark in Tour of Qatar escape

“He punctured the front, got going and then immediately punctured the back,” explained team directeur sportif Roger Hammond. “They rode a perfect stage, in control all the time and then a puncture at the worst possible moment.

“They made that instinctive decision,” said Hammond of the team decision to help the Norwegian. “They’re all professional bike riders understand the situation. We had a game plan before the start, so they knew that if Eddy had any trouble they had to [assist].

“Katusha got a lot of help there in the front, but one against two teams when you’ve been riding all day was always going to difficult. They’ve limited their losses, thankfully we had two in the front on GC.”

Despite Cavendish inheriting the race lead, there was clear disappointment as the team gathered at the finish. Boasson Hagen, never overly demonstrative, was clearly unhappy.

“I think I hit something but I don’t know,” he told reporters. “I caught a cat's eye or something, but they both got flat. I’m impressed with the whole team but s**t happens.”

Cavendish now leads Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) by just two seconds, though today’s stage winner Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) is arguably more of a threat. With two stage wins already and bonus seconds on offer for the win and both intermediate sprints, tomorrow’s final stage is likely to be hard fought.

It was day of drama and punctures at the 2016 Tour of Qatar today as race leader Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) lost his gold jersey after a late puncture, with team-mate Mark Cavendish regaining the overall top spot.

The race split on the final of four laps under the pressure of cross winds and an attack from LottoNL-Jumbo and, whilst Boasson Hagen made the front group, he punctured twice shortly after. By the time he was on a bike that worked, he was in a second bunch 40 seconds down.

The stage was won by Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), who sprinted to his second victory this week. Unable to sprint, Cavendish finished fifth, though he now leads the general classification by two seconds from BMC’s Greg Van Avermaet.

>>> ‘As long as we win it doesn’t matter’: Mark Cavendish content with losing Qatar lead to Edvald Boasson Hagen

The stage, covering 189 km between Al Zubarah Fort and Madiant Al Shamal, began at at high speed, with 50 kilometres covered in the first hour. Though the road surface was generally good, the edges were littered with gravel and riders suffered an unusually high number of punctures.

After a number of early attacks were brought back a group of nine riders, including Briton Mark McNally (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), forced their way clear of the peloton.

The escape built a lead in excess of two minutes, though immediately after the first intermediate sprint, just before a section of cross winds, the gap began to tumble under the impetus of BMC.

The group were eventually caught at the feed station at the start of a large loop west of the finish town of Madinat Al Shamal. On this loop a further escape formed, again featuring McNally, who was joined by Preben van Hecke (Topsport-Vlaanderen) and Patrick Gretsch (Ag2r), both of whom had been in the earlier escape. With with Jesper Asselman (Roompot-Oranje Peloton) also present, the group, they were finally caught with only 11km to race.

Today’s drama sets up a thrilling final stage covering 114.5 km between Sealine Beach Resort and Doha Corniche. Stage winner Kristoff now sits in fourth place, just nine seconds behind Cavendish, who will need to be attentive with bonus seconds available on both intermediate sprints and at the finish.

Results

Tour of Qatar 2016, stage four: Al Zubarah Fort to Madinat Al Shamal, 189km

1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha

2. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing

3. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Katusha

4. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18

5. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data

6. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing at same time

7. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha at 6 secs

8. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den) Giant-Alpecin at 8 secs

9. Moreno Hofland (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo at 9 secs

10. Michael Morkov (Den) Katusha at 9 secs

General classification after stage four

1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data

2. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 2 secs

3. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing at 6 secs

4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 9 secs

5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data at 19 secs

6. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den) Giant-Alpecin at 30 secs

7. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 at 41 secs

8. Sven Erik Bystrom (Nor) Katusha at 49 secs

9. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha at 50 secs

10. Michael Schar (Swi) BMC Racing at 58 secs

Despite losing his gold leader’s jersey, Mark Cavendish is delighted as teammate Edvald Boasson Hagen takes the leader’s jersey in the Tour of Qatar.

Cavendish seemed relaxed at the start of Wednesday's time trial in Qatar. Waiting on the start ramp, he was laughing as the speaker speculated just how much time the then gold jersey wearer would lose on the 11.4km circuit.

He did lose time but his was no bad performance. Finishing 7th, with a time of 14 minutes 10, he was just 44 seconds behind team mate Boasson Hagen, who now leads the general classification by 26 seconds from the Briton in second place.

“I was brought up in the UK riding ten miles,” Cavendish told waiting reporters. “It’s something I’ve done since I was 12 years old. Normally in another race I would use it as a rest day, but I had the gold jersey.

Even before stage one the Manxman was tipping Boasson Hagen to win today. Each day he stressed how the Norwegian road and time trial champion was a good bet for the win. And so it proved. Indeed today’s press conference Cavendish was full of praise for his teammate.

Watch: Men's WorldTour contenders for 2016

Dimension Data is the third team the two have shared, with both riding at Highroad, Sky in the past, with 28-year-old Boasson Hagen joining the current outfit last year as MTN-Quebeka. This recurring collaboration means they know each other well, so Cavendish is in the perfect position to comment on his colleague’s progression.

“One thing I’ve noticed since riding with him last is how he has grown as a leader,” Cavendish said. “He’s one of the old guys in the team now, and for a quiet lad he really motivates the others.

"He knows how to ride in a unit, he knows how to be the leader and road captain. It’s superb to see him grow in a leadership role and he definitely inspires the young athletes.”

Before his 2010 move to Team Sky, Boasson Hagen had been on a steep upward trajectory, but during his four seasons with the British team he became increasingly anonymous, perhaps stifled by Grand Tour aspirations.

He is far too polite to say that, however, responding today saying, “It is nice to change now and then but I had a good time in Sky as well.”

Cavendish was more succinct.

“He’s the same rider he was, he’s never changed. He was kind of in service at Sky, so you didn’t get to see what he could do.

"I rode with him and he was still as strong as ever, but obviously we had bigger ambitions at Sky. But he is back in an environment where he can flourish as a racer and he’s definitely shown that.”

After today’s Norwegian flourish, Dimension Data now occupy the first two places at the Tour of Qatar and, while anything can happen in such a race, Friday could see Boasson Hagen win his second consecutive stage race, after his Tour of Britain win last September.

As for Cavendish, though he is only 26 second behind his team mate, he doesn’t care which of them wins. “As long as we win the GC it doesn’t matter.”

Edvald Boasson Hagen ensured the Tour of Qatar leader's jersey stayed with Dimension Data with a dominant display in the 11km time trial on stage three.

The Norwegian time trial champion completed the course in 13-26, 25 seconds faster than runner-up Jos Van Emden (LottoNL-Jumbo).

Previous race leader Mark Cavendish finished seventh, 44 seconds down on his teammate and is now second on GC at 26 seconds.

The third stage of the race was held over a flat 11.4 kilometre circuit consisting of eight tight turns linked by long straights. Lieuwe Westra (Astana), former Dutch time trial champion, set an early benchmark, before being eclipsed by compatriot Jos van Emden, who set a time 13 minutes 51 seconds.

That time stood until Boasson Hagen, who began the day 18 seconds behind Cavendish, set a time of 13-26, enough to lift him from fifth to first place.

Heading off last, Cavendish had his work cut out retaining the race lead but shouldn't be too disappointed with his ride. The Manxman lost the lead to his teammate rather than a rival, and finished in a strong seventh position - which points to good form at the start of a season where he has set himself some ambitious goals.

Cavendish still leads the points classification and sits second on GC. The likelihood of cross winds on tomorrow’s 189km stage between Al Zubarah Fort and Madinat Al Shamal means the general classification is far from decided, though Dimension Data are certainly in a strong position.

Tour of Qatar stage three, Lusail-Lusail (11km TT)

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data, 13-26

2. Jos Van Emden (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo, at 25s

3. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC, at 29s

4. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel), at 32s

5. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz), Astana at 40s

6. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana, at 43s

7. Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Dimension Data, at 44s

8. Jordan Kerby (Aus), Drapac, st

9. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den) Giant-Alpecin, at 45s

10. Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC, at 47s

Tour of Qatar GC after stage three

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data, 06-53-35

2. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data, at 26s

3. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC, at 32s

4. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC, at 34s

5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha, at 45s

6. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den) Giant-Alpecin, at 48s

7. Sven Erik Bystrom (Nor) Katusha, at 1-02

8. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon, at 1-07

9. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha, at 1-10

10. Michael Schar (Swi) BMC, at 1-15

The second stage of the 2016 Tour Qatar ended in the predicted sprint finish with Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) narrowly beating Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) to the line. The two were part of a small group who remained after a crash took out a number of riders around 300 metres out.

The stage was held as a second test event for this year’s Doha World Championships and took in  four laps of the 15.3 km circuit, before heading away for a finish at Qatar University. Before that circuit, though, the peloton headed north, passing the Losail motor racing circuit then turning back to Doha.

A break of four riders was quickly able to build a lead of two minutes, though behind them, the peloton had split under the pressure of the ubiquitous cross winds.

By the time the first intermediate sprint was reached at 39km, the four escapees and been brought back by a strong group, including Kristoff who won the bonus seconds.

>>> Watch: Crash at end of Tour of Qatar stage two takes out chunk of peloton

With Gold jersey wearer Cavendish in the second group, some 40 seconds down, it was down to his Dimension Data team to bring the leaders back, which they did as the race entered the Worlds circuit.

The peloton remained bunched from then on, though two riders, Belgian champion Van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Smukulis (Astana) were allowed to build a lead which was never allowed to exceed 40 seconds. Van Hecke won the final intermediate sprint, on what will be the World championship finish line, before he and Smukulis were caught, setting up a bunch sprint.

On the final straight, a one kilometre uphill hill drag, Katusha and Dimension Data battled to establish their lead out trains. While the crash took out some of those further back, it  did not prevent the leaders launching their sprint, which the Norwegian won by millimetres.

Results

Tour of Qatar 2016, stage two: Qatar University to Qatar University, 135km

1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha

2. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data

3. Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert

4. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing

5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data

6. Andrea Palini (Ita) Skydive Dubai

7. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida

8. Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice

9. Andre Looij (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton

10. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha all same time

General classification after stage two

1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data

2. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 5 secs

3. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida at 14 secs

4. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana at 17 secs

5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data at 18 secs

6. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha at 18 secs

7. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 20 secs

8. Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Fortuneo-Vital Concept at 21 secs

9. Sven Erik Bystrom (Nor) Katusha at 21 secs

10. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing at 21 secs

Mark Cavendish took his first win with the Dimension Data team on a typically windswept course at the Tour of Qatar today.

The Manxman rode his way into the leader’s gold jersey, taking not only the victory, but also gaining vital seconds with a first and second at the intermediate sprints.

The race began on the West coast of the Gulf state at the town of Dukhan, crossing to the other side of the country to finish at the Al Khor Corniche, 176 kilometres later.

>>> Tour of Qatar 2016: Latest news, reports and preview

The entire race was high paced, the peloton remaining together for the first 38km, until they changed direction off the main dual-carriageway. Here, increasing crosswinds split the peloton first into two parts, then subsequently further, until a group of only 21 riders remained, eventually opening the gap to around one minute 20 seconds.

This group, which contained a number of the pre-race favourites, including Alexander Kristoff  (Katusha) and Greg van Avermaet (BMC), both accompanied by three team mates.

Cavendish had Edvald Boasson Hagen and Tyler Farrar with him, though the American was forced to work hard after puncturing with around 65km to ride. Despite this, the group eventually built a lead of around one minute 20 seconds.

That gap was reduced and hovered around one minute for a significant distance, though success was not guaranteed when the chasing group brought it down below 50 seconds with only 10 kilometres left.

However, as the line approached, the break gained momentum under pressure from the BMC team, though it was Katusha who lead the group into the finishing straight.

Results

Tour of Qatar 2016, stage one: Dukhan to Al Khor Corniche, 176km

1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data

2. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida

3. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana

4. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18

5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha

6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data

7. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing

8. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing

9. Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Fortuneo-Vital Concept

10. Soren Kragh Andersen (Den) Giant-Alpecin all same time

General classification after stage one

1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data

2. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida at 8 secs

3. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana at 11 secs

4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 12 secs

5. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha at 13 secs

6. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 14 secs

7. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 at 15 secs

8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data at 15 secs

9. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing at 15 secs

10. Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Fortuneo-Vital Concept at 15 secs

With possibly his most challenging and complex season well under way, Mark Cavendish starts the Tour of Qatar tomorrow with his eyes firmly on the job in hand. However, with such complex goals as track gold, Tour de France yellow and a second world championship road race title, the 30-year-old Team Dimension Data rider will have half an eye on the future.

Addressing journalists in Doha before tomorrow’s race, Cavendish made it clear that if the targets are not flexible, then the pathway to them is something he may need to tweak. One of those stepping stones is the track World Championships to be held in London early next month.

“I’ll decide on the [Track] Worlds in the middle of this race,” he said. “Obviously I’ve only done four days [racing] in a row, so if I don't hold up after that, obviously my form isn’t very good.

“Every single day counts. It might not work. It might be in a few weeks I realise it’s not doable and I have to change everything.”

>>> Bradley Wiggins thinks Mark Cavendish may struggle combining Tour and Olympic ambitions

When asked, whether that meant the targets would change Cavendish was not specific, though indicated they would not, adding, “I might not win any of those three but I’ll certainly give it a go.”

“Track cycling is not like it used to be,” Cavendish said, explaining the enormity of his task.

“Now with the omnium there’s three sprint events, which is so specific, you need specific work for it. It’s not about your endurance anymore and that’s the hardest thing to calculate. I think it’s doable, like I said I might find out in a few weeks that it’s not, I might find out the middle of this week that it’s not and things will have to change.”

Before those headline events, however, there are five stages of the Tour of Qatar which the former World Champion is clearly looking forward to.

“Dead happy we’re back. I haven’t been here since I won in 2013. I wanted to come back to Qatar, so I’m happy to be back now with Dimension Data, which is a strong team and we’re looking to get results.

“I think it’s going to be difficult to look for an overall victory with the ITT being so long this time, definitely with Edvald [Boasson Hagen] we’ve got a chance there, and in the team we’ve got opportunity to win all five stages.”

>>> Tour of Qatar 2016: Preview, latest news and reports

The second of those stages is a test event for October’s road World Championships, to be held partly on The Pearl, an artificial island in the nation’s capital, Doha.

“I’m excited we get to do the course on Tuesday, it’ll be nice to see what kind of race it’ll be. From the maps I’ve seen it’s quite built up, so I don’t know how much wind can play a factor, it’ll be nice to gauge what factor the wind can play in the final circuit.”

Given the technical nature of the course, the opportunity to race on it could well give Cavendish the advantage he needs to achieve the final of those targets.

The President of the Qatar Cycling Federation revealed in a pre-race press conference today that Etixx-QuickStep were not invited to the 2016 edition of the Tour of Qatar, despite the team dominating the event’s history.

The Belgian outfit have won the race eight times in the last 10 years, but Sheikh Khalid Bin Ali Al Thani told journalists that discipline problems caused their application to be rejected.

“We did not send them an invitation. Yes of course [they wanted to come], we have proof of it,” the Sheikh said.

“We make a good effort to make a lot of teams come to the race and [Etixx] Quickstep is one of the important teams. But we have noticed that, not only last year but even before that, we have a problem with discipline with Quickstep.”

The Sheikh explained how team members were often late for podium ceremonies, despite being asked to arrive more promptly.

>>> Tour of Qatar 2016: Latest news and reports

“They'd take too much time changing their shoes, laying around, and then meeting the press while keeping us waiting. They can't do that. That's been going on for a couple of years, that's not the first time. We send people to hurry them up and they talked to them in not a very nice way. Then there were some problems with the hotels.”

Despite being pressed, he would not elaborate on these problems, though cited a lack of respect from team members.

“It’s his decision,” said race organiser, Eddy Merckx, when asked to comment on the news Etixx-QuickStep had been excluded from the five stage race, which begins tomorrow.

Other races on the calendar and the Rio Olympics were reason for the the absence of other big teams, according to Merckx.

“This year is special because you have the Olympics just behind the Tour de France,” he explained.

Watch: Men's WorldTour contenders 2016

“A lot of riders do not want too much pressure for the beginning of the season, then you have the Tour of Valencia and [Herald] Sun Tour in Australia. There is more races so the teams decide to come or not to come, but teams for next year will be completely different.

The contract for the race ends this year, however, Sheikh Khalid Bin Ali Al Thani also revealed his Federation has applied to the UCI to upgrade the event to WorldTour in 2017.

“We hope we have a good chance,” he said. “We are the oldest tour in the region so if the ProTour [WorldTour] is coming to the area it should come here first. We have good confidence in that. We didn't sign the contact yet, but it will be signed. We have a green light on that.”

Following an exciting January, the second month of 2015 was jam-packed with stage races and brought first wins of the year for Chris Froome, Ian Stannard and Niki Terpstra.

Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race

The 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans retired from professional cycling at his own race, following a stellar career which will see him go down in history as Australia's greatest-ever cyclist.

Evans personally designed the 174km route, which finished with three 20.2km laps around Geelong, which also hosted the finish of the 2010 UCI World Championships road race.

The race was won by Gianni Meersman in a bunch sprint, ahead of Australians Simon Clarke (Orica-GreenEdge) and Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin). Evans himself finished in fifth, with Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling) being the fifth Aussie to round out the top ten.

Dubai Tour, Tour of Qatar and Tour of Oman

February saw three stage races held in the Middle East, with the Dubai Tour followed by six-stages races in Oman and Qatar later in the month.

Mark Cavendish won the first and last stages of the second-ever Dubai Tour on his way to the overall classification and points jersey, having taken the final stage at Tour de San Luis at the end of January.

Niki Terpstra took overall victory in Qatar off the back of a commanding performance in stage three's time trial, finishing eight seconds ahead of Fabien Cancellara and nine ahead of Bradley Wiggins around the 10.9km course. Katusha's Alexander Kristoff won stage two, four and five to secure the points jersey.

Lampre-Merida's Rafael Valls won the toughest stage of the Tour of Oman and kept the leader's jersey until the end of the racing, beating stiff competition from Tejay van Garderen, Alejandro Valverde and Rafal Majka.

The race had its fair share of controversy, with stage five being shortened and neutralised after a sandstorm with winds of up to 70kmh blew over crowd control barriers and temperatures of 40°C caused several punctures.

More than half of the teams were also fined as much as 450 CHF for throwing away water bottles in the blistering heat following stage three.

Ruta del Sol

Chris Froome made his first appearance of the 2015 season on the road and he laid down a marker for July's Tour de France with victory over Alberto Contador at the Ruta del Sol in Andalucia, winning the overall classification by two seconds and the sprinter's jersey by a single point from his Spanish rival, finishing ahead of him on GC for the first time since the 2013 Tour de France.

Froome won on stage four's mountaintop finish to secure the overall lead, gaining the 28 seconds he needed to take the jersey. Team Sky had four other riders in the top ten, with Mikel Nieve finishing fourth, Peter Kennaugh seventh and Kanstanstin Siutsou tenth.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Ian Stannard recorded his first win of 2015 with an impressive performance in the Belgian one-day race, outsprinting Niki Terpstra in the final kilometres, who continued his good February with second-place.

Stannard, who also won the 2014 edition of the race, managed to take the win despite going into the last few kilometres surrounded by three Etixx-Quick Step riders. After Tom Boonen put in the first attack with 4.5km, Stannard's own attack dropped Boonen and Stijn Vandenbergh, leaving him and Terpstra to fight it out.

When Terpstra started his sprint early, Stannard was able to ride in his slipstream and snuck out from behind him in the closing metres to defend his title.

Rohan Dennis Hour Record

BMC's Rohan Dennis beat Matthias Brändle’s 14-week-old world Hour Record in the second week of February, adding 639m to the previous mark to set a new record of 52.491km.

Dennis made the third successful Hour Record attempt since the UCI changed the record's rules in 2014. Following overall victory in the Tour Down Under in January, Dennis seemed to crack in the final quarter-hour of his attempt, having seemed on course to break the 53km mark at around halfway.

But Dennis was no less pleased for it and seemed positively unruffled at the finish.

“It almost feels too easy,” Dennis said. “Obviously it wasn’t. I hope it [the record] will stay for a while.”

Elsewhere, Britain's Sarah Storey missed out on the women's record by 563m at Lee Valley Velo Park, but set new British and Paralympics records in the process.

Belgian team Etixx-QuickStep appears to be made for the Tour of Qatar. It took its eighth overall win in Doha today from only 14 editions of the race. What's the team's recipe for success?

"Maybe because it's a bit of a tradition for our team and there's some pressure on," winner and Dutchman, Niki Terpstra said.

"Of course, we are a good team. Look at the team, Matteo Trentin is the smallest rider at 180cm, but he's not so small. We are big guys, specialists in this kind of stuff and we have experience, and we know the roads in Qatar."

Terpstra won by six seconds over Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo) and nine over Alexander Kristoff (Katusha). Sky's Ian Stannard placed fourth at 12 seconds.

Sam Bennett wins Tour of Qatar final stage

Irish sprinter Sam Bennett takes final stage victory as Niki Terpstra seals overall win in 2015 Tour of Qatar. Photos

"We are a classics-focused team, so we have a lot of good guys to pick a strong team from," Belgium's Tom Boonen, a four-time winner in Qatar, said.

"We always come here with a strong and motivated team. From the first year, we liked it here. If you have a few guys that are really good at this, you can almost get everyone in the front group."

Both Boonen and Terpstra have won Paris-Roubaix, Terpstra winning last year after the Qatar overall two months beforehand.

Etixx helped cause a split on day one of the six-day race that put Terpstra towards the top. Terpstra took over the leader's jersey after he won day three's time trial over Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) and Bradley Wiggins (Sky).

With its flat and sandy countryside, and wide and straight roads, followers could find Qatari racing boring. The wind, however, usually makes up for the scenery.

"You don't have much time to look to the countryside if there's wind," added Boonen, "but if there's a headwind, it's very, very boring."

"Boring is not the right word, sometimes the roads are really long and empty," Terpstra said, "but the bike race goes too fast to call it boring."

Sam Bennett (Bora-Argon18) won the final stage of the Tour of Qatar with a powerful and well-timed sprint.

The good form of the Irishman was hinted at by a fifth place finish on stage one, but today’s sprint win was still as surprising as it was impressive, given all the big name sprinters contesting the finale.

Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step), meanwhile, sealed overall victory as main rival Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) was unable to contest the sprint and gain enough bonus seconds.

In the run-in to the sprint, both Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo took over the lead of the peloton, only to break-up in the finale. The subsequent sprint was therefore a bit messy, although Astana’s Andrea Guardini still managed to find himself in at the front to launch his sprint first, and was only beaten to the line by Bennett.

On a short and flat stage, the only variable capable of changing the overall were bonus seconds. Earlier, Kristoff had signalled his intent to go for the overall by contesting an intermediate sprint.

After the initial break of Marcus Burghardt (BMC), Nicola Boem, Stefano Pirazzi (both Bardiani-CSF) and Preben van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) was caught by the peloton, Kristoff managed to gain two seconds by finishing second at the intermediate sprint, but was denied the maximum three seconds by Terpstra’s teammate Tom Boonen.

Sensing the danger, Etixx-Quick Step sent Iljo Keisse up the road with Gijs van Hoecke (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) to hoover up the next set of bonus seconds.

The pair was caught soon after, leaving the bunch to contest a big sprint at the finish line.

Ian Stannard (Sky) was the top-placed British rider overall in fourth place, with team-mate Luke Rowe seventh. Bradley Wiggins (Sky) completed the race in 78th place overall.

Roche: Qatar time trial must be wake-up call for Bradley Wiggins

Results

Tour of Qatar 2015, stage six: Sealine Beach Resort to Doha Corniche, 113km

1. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 in 2-24-03

2. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana

3. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis

4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo

5. Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN-Qhubeka

6. Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge

7. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx-QuickStep

8. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep

9. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing

10. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar all same time

Final overall classification

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep in 17-36-48

2. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 6 secs

3. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 11 secs

4. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 12 secs

5. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 19 secs

6. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo at 31 secs

7. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at 33 secs

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at 39 secs

9. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana at 41 secs

10. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 42 secs

Defending champion Niki Terpstra will wear the leader’s yellow jersey in tomorrow’s Tour of Qatar finale after surviving a late onslaught from Tinkoff-Saxo in this afternoon’s penultimate stage.

Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step) was caught on the wrong side of an echelon when the peloton split with six kilometres of today’s stage remaining; his nearest GC challenger - Tinkoff rider Maciej Bodnar- was among those who made it into the short-lived 10-rider break.

However, Bodnar and his two Tinkoff-Saxo team-mates in the lead group did not realise Terpstra was dropped, and the two groups eventually came together in the final two kilometres, denying him the chance to overturn his six-second deficit.

“Well, I don’t think they helped me,” said Terpstra of Tinkoff’s mishap. “Of course I was worried, not only about Bodnar, but about a lot of riders who were up there in the general classification.

“We kept on chasing, and luckily we chased them down in the last kilometres.”

Bodnar first found out about the split when team owner Oleg Tinkoff, team manager Bjarne Riis and team-mate Michael Morkov spoke to him by the Tinkoff race vehicles after the stage.

“If we had radios here, I would have told the guys that Terpstra was gone,” said Riis. “But I’m happy with what I saw in the final kilometres.”

Polish rider Bodnar added: “I’m disappointed. Katusha pushed hard, we pushed hard and I didn’t know what was happening behind.

“We did our best and the team was so strong – I think we were better than Etixx today.”

Terpstra could make it nine wins out of the last 10 for Etixx in Qatar tomorrow, but his biggest challenger is arguably now Alexander Kristoff.

The Katusha rider won for the third time in four stages in Medinat Al Shamal today, and moved to within 11 seconds of the Dutchman.

A maximum of 16 seconds are on offer in time bonuses during tomorrow’s final stage from Sealine Beach Resort and the Doha Corniche.

“If Kristoff goes for the bonus seconds, I will try and beat him in the sprints,” said Terpstra. “But if he wins tomorrow, he’s probably the best rider here.”

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) won his third stage at the 2015 Tour of Qatar, holding off Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) by a matter of inches on the line.

Kristoff started his sprint from the very front of the bunch after his Katusha team had set a vast pace in the lead-out, but was forced to make his move a little early as the last domestique peeled off some way from the finish line.

Sagan rode in the Norwegian’s slipstream and attempted to overtake him in the last 50 metres or so, but Kristoff, despite already having expended some effort, was able to hold him off.

Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step) held onto the overall lead, though he suffered a scare with 6km to go when Katusha used the strong winds to force a split in the peloton.

Kristoff and three of his domestiques, along with six other riders, managed to open a gap ahead of the peloton, and looked initially as though they would put time into the others - however, most of the favourites managed to haul themselves back into the lead group with 2km to go.

The wind played a large part in proceedings all day long. There was action right from the start as the peloton split into groups, with second-placed overall Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo) caught out. A long chase ensued, but Bodnar’s group managed to make contact again with the lead group with 90km to go.

Following the catch the pace in the peloton slowed, allowing a group of five - Ben Hermans (BMC), Marco Haller (Katusha), Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Dmitriy Gruzdev (Asanat) and Mathew Hayman (Orica-GreenEdge) – to break clear. They did manage to build up a lead big enough for Hayman to be virtual leader for a little while, but were caught with plenty of time to spare.

Terpstra now has just one more day to hold off the challenges of Bodnar (still six seconds behind), a rampaging Kristoff (now third overall) and Sky’s Ian Stannard (12 seconds behind) to seal the overall win.

Britain's Luke Rowe (Sky) lost his lead in the best young rider's classification as Sagan moves up to sixth overall.

It was bad news for Lars Boom (Astana): the Dutchman was disqualified from the race for drafting behind a team car.

Results

Tour of Qatar 2015, stage five: Al Zubarah Fort to Madinat Al Shamal, 153km

1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha in 3-03-01

2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo

3. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Giant-Alpecin

4. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep

5. Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge

6. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling

7. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar

8. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ

9. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing

10. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis all same time

Other

17. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at same time

22. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at same time

Overall classification after stage five

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep

2. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 6 secs

3. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 11 secs

4. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 12 secs

5. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 19 secs

6. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo at 31 secs

7. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at 33 secs

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at 39 secs

9. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana at 41 secs

10. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 42 secs

Crashes may have brought five of their squad to the sandy tarmac on stage four, but IAM Cycling remain confident of finishing the Tour of Qatar relatively unscathed.

Organisers were clearly worried about the wind, and the possibility of sandstorms, bringing the start time forward by over an hour, but the conditions were still hairy enough to bring a few jitters to the peloton.

IAM’s Australian national champion Heinrich Haussler was one of the riders to crash in the final stages, but recovered to finish sixth behind Alexander Kristoff in the final sprint.

“There were two small crashes in the last kilometres, and we had to reset ourselves each time,” he told the IAM Cycling website. “It was really fast, and my crash did not bother me in the sprint.

“Even if there is a lot of wind, and a lot of concentration and energy is required, I feel well protected and am certainly fit for Thursday, no problem.”

Three more IAM riders were involved in one of the more tangled crashes of the day, with Reto Hollenstein suffering a knee to the chin from Cofidis’ Gregory Soupe, with Matthias Brändle also hitting the ground.

IAM Cycling sporting manager Rik Verbrugghe said: “It is much easier to get caught up in crashes [when it’s windy], and for us, it certainly turned out that way since five of our guys all hit the deck (Marcel Aregger, Matthias Brändle, Reto Hollenstein, Heinrich Haussler and Jonas Van Genechten).

“Fortunately, none of them were seriously injured. Only Reto took a pretty hard hit to the chin and knee, but still nothing terrible.”

Defending Milan-San Remo winner Alexander Kristoff issued another warning shot to his rivals this afternoon, as he won his second Tour of Qatar stage in three days at Mesaieed.

Kristoff went early in the sprint, but still beat Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo), Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin) and Britain’s Adam Blythe (Orica-GreenEdge), among others.

The Norwegian has never won two races before at this stage of a season; in fact, his second win of 2014 was that of San Remo on March 23.

“I’m normally a slow starter, I didn’t expect to win here,” said the 27-year-old. “I’m perhaps going better than I thought I would be.

“Because there was a breakaway today, everybody was fresh in the final 10km. I lost my lead-out many times, but they put me in a good position eventually. I had to work hard to get to the front at the end.

“I felt I had to go early [in the sprint], otherwise somebody would jump from behind. So I started a little bit easy, and I tried to go harder. I was tired but I just held Sagan off. It was close.”

Nonetheless, the Katusha rider downplayed suggestions that his opponents should be more worried about his form ahead of the classics based on his two wins here.

“Classics are a different story, but I’m better than last year,” he said. “If I do the classics better, then they can be worried.”

Kristoff will ride Omloop Het Nieuwsblad [February 28] and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne [March 1] as part of his build up to defending his La Primavera title on March 22.

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) won stage four of the Tour of Qatar, following his first win two days ago.

A split in the peloton caused in the finale also means Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo) moves to just six seconds behind Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step), who remains the overall leader. British duo Ian Stannard and Luke Rowe (Sky) finished in the second group, meaning Stannard remains 12 seconds down in third and Rowe slips from fifth to sixth.

In the sprint, Kristoff got the better of Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin) in a drag race to the line, and also held off a late surge from Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) to narrowly cross the line first.

Britain’s Adam Blythe (Orica-GreenEdge) put in a good performance to finish fourth. His team took control of the peloton at a roundabout four kilometres to the line, and put Blythe in a strong position to contest the sprint.

Perhaps the best work was done by Giant-Alpecin, however, as they emerged at the front in the final few hundred metres. Had Kittel been at the back of their train and not Arndt, victory may well have been theirs.

The crosswinds that so heavily affected the opening stages failed to materialise here, as the bunch struggled instead with a difficult headwind. The conditions proved too difficult for the original break featuring Jaco Venter (MTN Qhubeka), Dmitry Gruzdev (Astana) and Jarl Salomein (Topsport Vlaanderen), who were all caught with 20 kilometres still to ride.

From that point on it was a gradual procession to the line for the peloton, with no riders braving an attack in the unobliging conditions.

Results
Tour of Qatar 2015, stage four: Al Thakhira to Mesaieed, 165km

1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha in 4-15-57

2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo

3. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Giant-Alpecin

4. Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge

5. Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiani-CSF

6. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling

7. Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana

8. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana

9. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar

10. Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida all same time

Overall classification after stage four

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep in 12-09-44

2. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 6 secs

3. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 12 secs

4. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 19 secs

5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 21 secs

6. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at 33 secs

7. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo at 37 secs

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at 39 secs

9. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana at 41 secs

10. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 42 secs

Sky's Bradley Wiggins was supposed to win the Tour of Qatar time trial stage today, according the victor and new overall leader, Dutchman Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep).

Instead, reigning time trial world champion Wiggins placed third behind Terpstra and Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing).

"I'm surprised," Terpstra said in the leader's gold jersey. "Yesterday, I said to some guys, 'I think Wiggins is going to win with 40 seconds on the second best rider'. To beat him, the world champion, I'm happily surprised."

Wiggins briefly held the best time at 14-12 minutes until multiple world champion Cancellara finished at 14-11. Terpstra, 2014 Tour of Qatar and Paris-Roubaix winner, finished the fastest and moved into the race lead with 14-03.

Bradley Wiggins says Qatar TT result puts him on track for Paris-Roubaix

The World Time Trial Champion placed third in his first outing in the rainbow skinsuit.

"It was a really good time trial for me," said Terpstra. "In the first kilometres, I was going steady, not full gas. I decided to save energy for when we turned into the head-wind. At that at point, my DS encouraged me from behind, saying, 'Up! Up! Up!'".

The 10.9 kilometres covered the flat roads around the Lusail Iconic Stadium, where the handball world championships were held last week, and the Moto GP track. The wind, which blew up to 40 kilometres an hour and kicked up sand over the Arab state, played an important role.

"The distance probably suited me more than it did Wiggins, and that it's on a normal bike instead of a time trial bike is good for me. And I was extremely motivated for the classification, that's also a big thing in time trials. You need to be motivated and focused,” added Terpstra.

>>> Bradley Wiggins third in Tour of Qatar time trial

"I'm sure he [Wiggins] was also motivated in the rainbow jersey, but he has won it already so..."

Terpstra moved into the race lead by 11 seconds over Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo) and 12 seconds over Sky's Ian Stannard. Along with Cancellara and others, he will be one of Wiggins' rivals at Paris-Roubaix on April 12.

"I'm happy with my shape, of course. I hope I can still improve for the next two months," he said.

"Obviously, in 10 kilometres, my shape is good. I hope that in the long classics it's good, too, and that it doesn't go bad suddenly."

Bradley Wiggins downplayed his result in the Tour of Qatar’s 10.9-kilometre time trial this afternoon, the first time he wore the rainbow jersey in competition.

Wiggins posted a 14-12 for the 10.9 kilometres in Lusail this afternoon, which placed him third, nine seconds behind stage winner and new overall leader Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step). Fabian Cancellara placed runner-up, a second ahead of Wiggins.

The Team Sky rider is out of the overall picture here, and said he has made steps towards his Paris-Roubaix assault in April here.

“Unfortunately, the world of cycling puts a massive emphasis on this race,” he said. “But everybody’s at different stages of preparation.

“We’ve not done any racing, so you don’t know where they’re at. It was only a month ago we were all drinking and getting fat at Christmas and then you come here looking to do a world-class performance.

“[Tom] Boonen and that are always good here, Fabian [Cancellara] has been up and down the last few years.

“This time last year I was scraping around the back of Ruta del Sol, I always come back to think where I was, and where I am. April is a long way away; I’m pleased to be fairly close today.”

Bradley Wiggins third in Tour of Qatar time trial

World time trial champion Bradley Wiggins beaten by Niki Terpstra and Fabian Cancellara

Wiggins is scheduled to compete in next month’s Paris-Nice [March 8-15], and also the Three Days of De Panne [March 31-April 2], which should give him three more attempts to win a time trial as the discipline’s reigning world champion before he leaves Sky on April 30.

“It’s a dream, but there’s still a process with time trialling, whether you’re time trial champion or not. It doesn’t always work out,” added the 34-year-old.

“There are a few more opportunities yet before you start writing about the curse of the rainbow jersey.”

Surrounded by the best crowd of this year’s race, many of whom were British ex-pats, Wiggins also compared his dream of winning Roubaix as the same of his desire to be able to emulate one of Michael Jackson’s trademark moves.

Wiggins said: “I'd love to win Roubaix, but it's so unpredictable. I'd love to moonwalk as well, but sometimes you have to accept you can't do certain things in life.

“It won't be for the lack of trying - same as if I took lessons to try to learn to moonwalk, although I'll never do to the extent of Michael."

Bradley Wiggins (Sky) made his first competitive outing in world champion stripes in the Tour of Qatar time trial on Tuesday, but was beaten to the stage win.

Wiggins posted a time of 14 minutes and 12 seconds around the exposed 10.9-kilometre course, but only had a short stay in the hotseat as he was first beaten by Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing), then defending champion Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep) blew everyone away with a blistering ride.

Last year's Paris-Roubaix winner Terpstra now moves into the overall race lead after his stage win, 11 secs ahead of Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo). Ian Stannard (Sky) put in a strong ride to finish fifth on the stage and move up to third overall.

Niki Terpstra surprised at beating Bradley Wiggins in Qatar time trial

Niki Terpstra says he thought that Bradley Wiggins would 'beat everyone by 40 seconds' in the Tour of Qatar stage

Stannard's Sky team-mate and British compatriot Luke Rowe also rode well to finish 15th, and now sits fifth overall and leads the best young rider classification.

The flat, short course suited power riders as much as the time trial specialists, creating a top 10 that could also serve as who's who of 2015 classics contenders. Worthy of note is that former Hour Record holder Matthias Brändle (IAM) placed sixth.

The Tour of Qatar continues on Wednesday with a 165.5km road stage. The race concludes on Friday.

Results

Tour of Qatar 2015, stage three: Lusail Circuit, 10.9km ITT

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep in 14-03

2. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing at 8 secs

3. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) at 9 secs

4. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at same time

5. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 10 secs

6. Matthias Brändle (Aut) IAM Cycling at 18 secs

7. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 20 secs

8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN-Qhubeka at 21 secs

9. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 24 secs

10. Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling at 25 secs

Overall classification after stage three

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep

2. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at 11 secs

3. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 12 secs

4. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 19 secs

5. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at 33 secs

6. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha at 36 secs

7. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 42 secs

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at 44 secs

9. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana at 46 secs

10. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo at 48 secs

Sir Bradley Wiggins's Paris-Roubaix group is forming this week in the sand-swept Persian Gulf state of Qatar.

Team Sky has a number of experienced Classics men to chose from in order to build a support team for Wiggins' Paris-Roubaix bid in April, and several key members are currently racing in the Tour of Qatar alongside Wiggins.

The exact formation of the team has yet to be finalised, but Sky's management will be monitoring riders' form and assessing how the team gels together in the coming weeks.

"The group's important and it takes time to form," Team Sky's sports director, Servais Knaven told Cycling Weekly.

"A big part of the group has been racing together for couple of years and they know each other. They know Brad, Brad knows them. The most important thing for Roubaix is to have strong team, a leader, but also different options."

>>> Bradley Wiggins’ Paris-Roubaix bid helped by Tour of Qatar performance

Wiggins will race Paris-Roubaix, his last event with Team Sky, on April 12.

Knaven won the 2001 Paris-Roubaix thanks to a strong Domo-Farm Frites team with Johan Museeuw, Romain Vainsteins and Wilfried Peeters. The other teams marked Domo's leaders and took their eyes of Knaven.

Sky had options, too, in 2014. Wiggins was able to take advantage of the team's strength in numbers to ride to ninth place. Geraint Thomas also was present and rode to seventh.

"We have options with Brad, 'Yogi' or Ian Stannard, Luke Rowe, Bernie Eisel, G Thomas, Andy Fenn... We have a strong team, we showed that last year.

“This year, we could be better, more experienced given what we learned from last year when 'G' and Brad were up there in the final."

>>> Cancellara: Bradley Wiggins a serious contender for Paris-Roubaix

Part of the group is forming around Wiggins this week in the Tour of Qatar stage race, which includes a time trial today. From its seven-man team in the Middle East, Stannard and Rowe are rising to the top. Yesterday when the winds kicked up the sand on the desert roads and helped split the group, both made it into the lead group.

"It's not only about Roubaix, it's the whole block of classics. Brad's big goal is Roubaix, but if you want to be there in Roubaix, you need decent preparation.

“This race is really important for Brad in the lead-up. He didn't race a lot last year on the Flemish roads where there's fighting all day. That's what he's getting used to here. You can see it's not the easiest thing to do.

"He's getting better with that. He has the power, but it's not about the power only, it's the way of racing. He missed the splits here, but we will all be on a different level for Roubaix. It won't be an issue. In 2011 here, he was in the front groups. He can do it and he will be ready for that in March and April."

Wiggins has Danny Pate, CJ Sutton and Christian Knees for company in Qatar, but they are racing towards other goals. He will race with Thomas, Eisel and other men that will form part of the Paris-Roubaix group in the coming month.

Despite a strong start to the race, Adam Blythe says he is using the Tour of Qatar to help him build form for the rest of 2015.

Only a late mechanical problem has stopped Blythe from finishing in the small lead groups in the race’s two stages, and he placed seventh yesterday afternoon in the windswept Al Khor Corniche having made the cut in every notable split.

The new Orica-GreenEdge recruit has form in the desert: he placed fourth overall in Qatar in 2013, and 10th a year prior to that.

>>> Adam Blythe joins Orica-GreenEdge

“The main reason I came here and [the Tour of] Oman is to get more in my legs each race and build-up for the next few months,” said the 25-year-old after stage two.

“I’m annoyed with the sprint [yesterday], I wanted to do more but I didn’t have anything in the legs. It was a case of sitting down and carrying on.

“Then again, I haven’t done much sprint work this winter – I’ve mainly done base work, as I didn’t race many days last year. I’ve not really done 187km of racing at 50kph for a long time, either.”

Conditions are forecast to be windy for the remaining days of the race, and although Friday’s final stage along Doha’s Corniche traditionally ends in a bunch gallop, Blythe didn’t tip himself for an even more notable result than yesterday’s.

>>> Adam Blythe makes debut for Orica-GreenEdge at Revolution in Manchester

“Doing a sprint like that [yesterday] from a small group is easier than a big bunch sprint when there are lead-outs going,” he added.

“If I rolled in seventh here, I may struggle in the big sprints. It’s something to work on, I guess.”

Luke Rowe described today’s Tour of Qatar second stage, in which was part of a select front group of 13, as "one of the hardest days" of his career.

The Welshman has impressed so far this season; he finished fourth in the Cadel Evans Road Race in Australia on February 1, and has dealt with the famed Qatar winds brilliantly in both stages to date in this year's race.

“The whole day was crazy,” he said of today’s leg between Al Wakra and Al Khor Corniche, in which the leaders averaged 48.945km/h.

“In the first hour I made the first echelon, I was riding in the first 12 riders, and I was in the 53x11 - I wish I had a 55, for sure some guys did.

“It came back after about 100km, then it went again straight away. It was relentless, one of the hardest days I’ve ever had on a bike.”

Sky team principal Dave Brailsford has praised Rowe’s progress over the winter, which the 24-year-old attributed to his new found belief.

Rowe added: “Halfway through last season, I really knuckled down. The build-up to the Vuelta, the race itself and the Worlds went well, so I ended the season on a high.

“I think a big part of it is confidence. Until you do it, you don’t believe you can do it. I had a real good winter, I spent a lot of time away from home getting the miles in. I did team camps as well as trips off my own back. I feel well prepared for this year.

“People underestimate how hard Qatar is, it’s one of the hardest races of the year. You have to be mentally strong to come here and race hard day in, day out.”

Rowe sits 11th overall, 10 seconds behind race leader Alexander Kristoff going into tomorrow’s 10-kilometre time trial at Lusail.

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) took the sprint win from a compact lead group on stage two of the 2015 Tour of Qatar. The Norwegian Milan-San Remo champion and double 2014 Tour de France stage winner also takes the overall lead.

Crosswinds once again served to split the peloton to pieces in conjunction with some aggressive riding, not least from the Etixx-QuickStep team of Tom Boonen and defending champion Niki Terpstra.

By the finale, an elite group of 15 riders remained out front with Andrea Guardini (Astana) placing second behind Kristoff and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) in third. The outcome confirmed the race's status as a serious warm-up for the classics contenders.

British riders Adam Blythe (Orica-GreenEdge) and Ian Stannard (Sky) both finished in the top 10 - in seventh and 10th positions respectively.

Overnight leader Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar) was not part of the lead group, and so relinquished his position at the top of the table to Kristoff. Boonen sits in second place by just one second, with Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) in third at three seconds.

Luke Rowe (Sky) is the highest-placed British rider overall in 11th place, with Stannard in 12th and Blythe in 13th. All three are 10 seconds adrift of Kristoff.

Bradley Wiggins (Sky) missed the day's decisive split to finish 109th and 9-18 behind Kristoff, although he will have his eye on Tuesday's time trial stage.

>>> Tour of Qatar 2015 route: Stage by stage

Results

Tour of Qatar 2015, stage two: Al Wakra to Al Khor Corniche, 194km

1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha

2. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana

3. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing

4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo

5. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep

6. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling

7. Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge

8. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing

9. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing

10. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky all same time

Other

13. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at same time

Overall classification after stage two

1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha in 7-39-31

2. Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-QuickStep at 1 sec

3. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing at 3 secs

4. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana at 4 secs

5. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-QuickStep at 8 secs

6. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing at 9 secs

7. Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo at 10 secs

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at same time

9. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing at same time

10. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo at same time

Other

11. Luke Rowe (GBr) Sky at 10 secs

12. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 10 secs

13. Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge at 10 secs

33. Andy Fenn (GBr) Sky at 1-41

42. Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18 at 3-18

94. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky at 10-01

Bradley Wiggins's Paris-Roubaix goal on April 12 could receive a boost by riding the Tour of Qatar given that on four occasions the overall winner has gone on to win the cobbled classic.

"Whatever group you're in here it's hard work," Sir Bradley said after stage one on Sunday.

"That's the good thing about this race, if you're in the back, you're still riding hard. From that point of view, it's good."

Wind, sometimes reaching 25 miles per hour, pushed the group across the Persian Gulf state yesterday and, with the effort of teams like Etixx-Quick Step, it caused splits.

Etixx's Tom Boonen won Paris-Roubaix four times, three times he won the Tour of Qatar two months earlier. The same for his team-mate Niki Terpstra, who won both races in 2014.

>>> Cancellara: Bradley Wiggins a serious contender for Paris-Roubaix

Boonen's work helped split the group and saw Wiggins lose 33 seconds yesterday.

"The secret? It's the knowledge of the parcours, but if you are strong you can position yourself," Boonen said.

"If you have that two per cent on your rivals, it helps you because there's not that many secrets to riding in the echelons and sprinting."

Wiggins refocused his aims from stage races and the Tour de France to Paris-Roubaix and the Hour Record. Last year, he surprised many followers with his ride over northern France's cobbled farm roads that resulted in a ninth place in the 'Queen of the Classics'.

>>> Bradley Wiggins planning to be ready for anything at Paris-Roubaix

Despite the 33-second loss, Wiggins appeared pleased with his scheduling choice.

"This type of race, I always feel like I need a day or two find my legs and get used to fighting and taking risks," Wiggins added. "I was happy with the way I felt."

Team Sky's sports director and 2001 Paris-Roubaix winner, Dutchman Servais Knaven is guiding Wiggins through Qatar and the spring. He indicated that Qatar success or failure does not translate directly to a Paris-Roubaix win.

"It doesn't always say something about the legs when you are in the back and it splits," Knaven said.

"You could have the best legs of the world, and the race could still split in front of you."

With race rules forbidding the use of time trial bikes in Tuesday's 10-kilometre stage against the clock, Bradley Wiggins will make his first outing as World Champion in the Tour of Qatar on this custom Pinarello Dogma F8 road bike.

"I can't remember the last time I did an individual time trial on a road bike, so it's hard to predict what people will do," he admitted ahead of the pan-flat test around Lusail.

It's safe to say the bike is visually, rather than mechanically different, to what Wiggins is used to. "It matches the kit, more than anything," he said.

The Dogma F8 is equipped with Shimano Dura Ace C75 wheels and Di2 electronic shifting.

No mistaking whose bike this is.

The top tube (above and below) uses the adopted Mod logo to detail Wiggins's World and Tour de France titles.

The bike uses a Shimano Dura-Ace FC 9000 177.5mm crank (56-44T), and is also equipped with a Stages power meter.

Wiggins's bike also comes equipped with the tidy Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 RD-9070 rear derailleur.

"It's got smaller handlebars and a lower stem just to get as much into time trial mode as possible," added Wiggins. There are no spacers between the headtube and stem, the latter of which is seemingly still at his preferred 137mm length.

Never a team to miss a trick, the bike comes with Elite's rainbow-striped Custom Race bottle cage.

The Dogma F8's truncated airfoil tube profiles - dubbed "FlatBack" - extend to the bike's seat post. Wiggins's (in the foreground) features the Sky logo in gold, in comparison the normal version as seen behind it on another riders' bike in black. Seemingly no change has been made to his 812mm saddle height and 100mm saddle setback. Wiggins rides Fizik's carbon-reinforced nylon Arione saddle, which weight 225g.

Tom Boonen showed in today's Tour of Qatar stage one why he is a four-time overall winner and one of the best classics riders. The Belgian of team Etixx-QuickStep helped gap the bunch including Sky's Bradley Wiggins and, despite a crash, sprinted to second place behind winner José Joaquín Rojas (Movistar).

"The final was very chaotic," Boonen said at the Sealine Beach Resort with the sun setting.

"I tied to create some order in the chaos. We had to stay in front of the peloton where we had to fight for every inch. I made a great effort to stay in front. Stijn Vandenbergh moved me up a couple of positions, I closed to Rojas, but when I started my sprint, the race was already over."

Boonen finished second after 3 hours and 49 minutes. His group included around 60 riders like Ian Stannard. Wiggins, sprinter Marcel Kittel (Giant-Alpecin) and many others were gapped at 33 seconds.

The split came around 10 kilometres from the finish, but Boonen and his team-mates had also tried mid-race. They split the bunch into several small groups along the windy and deserted countryside, catching Wiggins and others out, but saw it come back together.

"It's what I feared. The active riders would not benefit a lot today because of the headwinds. First I tried, then the team tried, but there was nothing we could do," Boonen explained.

"We were lucky in the end, that the peloton did break into a smaller bunch that went to the finish because you get a lot of fresh riders with a headwind like that. I know this kind of finish and that's what I feared a bit."

Boonen crashed with Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo), but said, "I'm fine, I only have this [cut on my hand].” What he showed, however, is that he is fit to win a fifth Tour of Qatar title and ready for the upcoming classics season.

He sits second overall at four seconds behind Rojas thanks to the six-second bonus at the finish. On stage three, he will have to time trial against Wiggins and others, but earned a good advantage today.

“I'm always very happy to come back to Qatar, you don't find those windy days anywhere else in the world. It's a hard-man's race," Boonen said on Saturday.

"You have six bunch sprints, with this race, you have wind and you average 60 kilometres in the first hour sometimes. It's not that way in the other parts of the world, so it's logical that when you are good here, you will be in front and fight for victory in the classics. Almost all the years I won Qatar, I won Roubaix.

“The classics are not that far away from here."

Peter Sagan began racing with new team Tinkoff-Saxo today in the Tour of Qatar with expectations high in the upcoming classics.

"We have high expectations this year, but we will see because we are talking about races, cycling, and he's a human being," Russian team owner Oleg Tinkov said.

"I hope he's going to win two or three classics. If he doesn't, I'll be very disappointed, but I'm not going to kill him!"

Tinkov laughed, but since he is paying Sagan €4m a year then he might want something in return. He signed Sagan over the winter from team Cannondale, which was closing its doors, for three years.

The 25-year-old Slovak pushes off today in the sand-swept Persian Gulf state with riders like Bradley Wiggins. The first stage finishes at Sealine Beach.

>>> Peter Sagan for the Classics, Alberto Contador for the Tours: Tinkoff-Saxo’s 2015 plan

He shot to stardom with team Liquigas/Cannondale and began winning across the globe in one-day races and the Tour de France, with stages and three times the green jersey. The only events that have eluded him are the monumental classics Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

He has come close: fourth in San Remo, fourth in the Ronde in 2012 and second in both races in 2013. Sagan appeared ready to take one them in 2014 and join a select group including Fabian Cancellara (Trek) and Tom Boonen (Etixx), but slipped backwards with 10th in San Remo, 16th in the Flanders and sixth in Roubaix. It was not great given his "Saganator" status.

"What does he need? It's all together, legs and luck. It's both," Tinkov said.

"Like Alberto Contador, who had the legs to win the Tour de France last year, but no luck. Or sometimes you can have as much luck as possible, but no legs."

Switching from an Italian to a Russian/Danish team, Sagan will be able to draw on experience. team manager Bjarne Riis helped Cancellara to some of his greatest wins, including San Remo and the cobbled Flanders and Roubaix classics.

>>> Milan-San Remo has ‘rediscovered perfect recipe’ says former winner

Riis is helping Sagan with tactics and bike positioning, and coach Bobby Julich with attacks.

"I want to do my best in the classics. I'm happy to be in the big team and to have the guys supporting me," Sagan explained.

"Some things they changed in my preparations. It's always different because I changed my team, the group around me... everything. They made some tweaks. Bobby's helped me to simulate the classics, the attacks."

Four-time Tour of Qatar champion Tom Boonen believes Bradley Wiggins will be the biggest threat to Etixx-Quick Step’s chances of overall victory in the six-day race that begins in Dukhan tomorrow.

Boonen last won the race in 2012, but Etixx has won the two editions since with Mark Cavendish and Niki Terpstra.

But with a 10-kilometre, flat time trial at Lusail included in this year’s race on day three, four-time Paris-Roubaix champion Boonen has singled out the Team Sky rider as the team’s main rival.

“Wiggins is our main contender for win because of the time trial, so we will try and get gap on him in other stages,” he said.

“Every time we come here it is to pursue the overall victory. We will try to do well from the first day, as starting well in this race is most important thing.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s first stage, which finishes at the frequently windy Sealine Beach, Boonen added: “Maybe we will get a gap on our rivals tomorrow.

“It’s almost a one of a kind race. Nowhere in the world do you get gruelling circumstances like the wind. If you’re a powerful rider, you can take advantage of that.”

Speaking earlier, Wiggins said of the Belgian team: “There's only so much space when it does break up into echelons – normally only 25 riders or so, so you keep your eyes on those guys when it starts going.”

Bradley Wiggins says he had not considered the significance of the Tour of Qatar's 10-kilometre time trial on Tuesday, the first of possibly two occasions this year on which he'll wear the World Champion's rainbow jersey, until recently.

Wiggins starts his 2015 season tomorrow in the middle east, with stage three's pan-flat course in Lusail the Team Sky rider's biggest objective of the week.

Nonetheless, he admitted that it wasn't until his 2015 race kit turned up that his Worlds win in Ponferrada, Spain last September dawned on him.

“I haven't really thought about it – I forgot about a lot of it, to be honest,” he said. “It was the last race of the season, I was straight out of there, then after a week or two you forget about it.

“My kit turned up in January, and I had all normal skinsuits in my case. I rang the team to ask if they'd forgotten - I said 'are you aware I'm world champion, and if not, can I at least have a British champion's skinsuit?'.

“The world champion's skinsuit turned up in the post last Wednesday, which was a little reminder – I hadn't seen anything or had any training jerseys with the stripes on before then, so it will be nice to be able to wear that in a few races before April.”

Race rules forbid riders using time trial bikes for the stage against the clock, which throws a slight curveball into proceedings.

“I can't remember the last time I did an individual time trial on a road bike, so it's hard to predict what people will do,” Wiggins added.

“However, I just want to put myself in the best position possible to do the best ride and see what happens. From that, if that lands me in a half decent GC spot, then I'll try and defend it.”

Given the race's famed crosswinds, the 34-year-old added that starting his season in Qatar is the perfect preparation for his assault on Paris-Roubaix on April 12, which is likely to be his final race for Sky.

Wiggins said: “I said that I wouldn't just come here and get the training in. It's about looking further down the line.

“I had a hard couple of weeks training in Majorca and then I sorted of backed off a bit last week because I wanted to feel a bit fresh in order to put myself in the best possible position here, really. It’s no fun coming here tired and I’ve done that before.”

Paris-Nice, the race he won in 2012, is likely to be Wiggins's other opportunity to wear the rainbow stripes before he leaves Sky for his new team that bears his surname. That event [March 8-15] both starts and finishes with an individual time trial.

"I can see the end. I get parole in April, I'm happy about that," he said of his departure from Sky. "It's going into a new chapter in my life, with the Hour Record and everything. The pressure of the Tour, and weight loss, is a nice burden not to have to worry about any more."

Sir Bradley Wiggins will start his final season with Team Sky at the 2015 Tour of Qatar, which is scheduled for February 8 to 13. Organising body ASO confirmed his participation along with the full line-up of the teams on Tuesday.

ASO were pleased with prospective line-up, describing it as a "very attractive startlist...that features world champions, sprint specialists, kings of the classics and a Tour de France winner."

Wiggins, who was intially touted as beginning his season at the Challenge Mallorca this week, will race with Sky's eight-man team and rivals such as Tom Boonen (Etixx - Quick-Step), Marcel Kittel (Giant-Alpecin), Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo), Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing), Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

The Tour of Qatar is in its 14th year and kicks off a season of ASO races, which includes the Tour de France.

Wiggins led Sky to its first ever team time trial win in the 2010 Tour of Qatar and this year, he'll have a chance to debut his world champion’s rainbow jersey on stage three, a 10.9-kilometre time trial in Lusail.

The 2012 Tour de France winner is using the race as he builds towards Paris-Roubaix and the Hour Record later this year. Boonen, Sagan and Cancellara will also be tuning their form towards the cobbled classics, while 2012 road world champion Philippe Gilbert will be looking ahead to the one day races in the Ardennes.

"[It's] an important part of the lead up to the season," Gilbert said.

"Stages are short and nervous, which is ideal at this time of the year. The high speed and the permanent battle force us to fight for positioning the same way we do it at the classics. We love the weather in Qatar and we appreciate staying in the same hotel in Doha during the whole race."

Sky has yet to confirm its full squad, but Wiggins is expected to race with Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton, Luke Rowe, Danny Pate, Christian Knees, Bernhard Eisel and Andrew Fenn. He's then due to continue his season at the Belgian semi-classic, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad which is viewed as a tune-up for the cobbled classics in March and April.

German Marcel Kittel tops a group of sprinters travelling to the Middle East, and the Tour of Qatar will mark his second race since beginning in Australia last week with the Tour Down Under, where he won the pre-race People's Choice Classic criterium.

"I came out of this race with better feelings than one year ago," said Kittel, "and I'm looking forward to the Tour of Qatar where I expect a very high level of sprinting."

Mark Cavendish (Etixx-Quick Step), however,  will race the Dubai Tour instead, having started his season at the Tour de San Luis in January. Kittel will come up against stiff opposition though, with sprinters Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis), Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Sagan all set to attend.

Teams for the Tour of Qatar:

Astana, Bardiani CSF, BMC, Bora-Argon 18, Cofidis, Etixx-Quick Step, FDJ, Giant-Alpecin, IAM Cycling, Katusha, Lampre-Merida, Movistar, MTN-Qhubeka, Orica GreenEdge, Team Sky, Tinkoff-Saxo, Topsport Vlaanderen Baloise, Trek Factory Racing.

Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) took the bunch sprint win at the end of stage five in the 2014 Tour of Qatar on Thursday.

Greipel left nothing to chance after being pipped on the line by Tom Boonen on stage two. The German national champion's Lotto-Belisol team-mates set up a solid lead-out, before Greipel accelerated away from his rivals on the wide finish straight.

Aidis Kruopis (Orica-GreenEdge) was the best of the rest in second, with Theo Bos (Belkin) in third.

"I think the team did a really good job during the whole stage to chase the breakaway down and to keep me out of trouble in the last kilometres," Greipel said at the finish.

"Maybe I put a little bit of anger into my sprint today. But I think it was a good sprint."

An early four-man escape group had been reeled in with seven kilometres to go to set up the bunch finish. Unlike the previous day's stage, no speed record was set thanks to a stiff headwind buffeting the riders.

Race leader Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) placed ninth on the stage to maintain the overall race lead ahead of team-mate Tom Boonen.

British rider Ian Stannard (Sky) is fourth overall, with Andy Fenn (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) in ninth.

The 2014 Tour of Qatar concludes on Friday with the final stage from Sealine Beach Resort to Doha Corniche.

Results
Tour of Qatar 2014, stage five: Dukhan to Mesaieed, 135km
1. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol

2. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge

3. Theo Bos (Ned) Belkin

4. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo

5. Matteo Pelucchi (Swi) IAM Cycling

6. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto-Belisol

7. Sam Bennett (Irl) NetApp-Endura

8. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

9. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

10. Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale all same time

Overall classification after stage five

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

2. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 17 secs

3. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto-Belisol at 20 secs

4. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 37 secs

5. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo at 48 secs

6. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto-Belisol at 56 secs

7. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 57 secs

8. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 1-00

9. Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 1-08

10. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol at 1-23

Tour of Qatar stage four: Fastest road race in history?

Credit: Graham Watson

Tom Boonen not surprised to beat Andre Greipel in Tour of Qatar sprint

Tom Boonen wins Tour of Qatar stage four

Tom Boonen takes his 22nd career stage win in the Tour of Qatar

With an official average speed of 56.816km per hour, the fourth stage of the 2014 Tour of Qatar could claim to be the fastest professional road race in history.

Won by Tom Boonen, a steady tailwind blew riders east from one side of the flat Gulf state to the other, and the big guns at Omega Pharma-Quickstep, Belkin and BMC revelled in the conditions.

135km completed, they stopped the clock less than two and a half hours after they had begun.

There aren't many Strava segments in Qatar (nor KOMs for that matter) but a fair few would have been shattered if there were.

The winner's average speed was more than 8kmph faster than the average speed of the previous day's winner, Michael Hepburn (Orica-GreenEdge), over a 10.9km time trial.

“That was one of the fastest stages I’ve ever been part of, both as a rider and a DS," said Sky DS Servais Knaven on the team website.

“I have never seen a stage this fast," added Trek Factory Racing DS Dirk Demol. "The fastest I ever saw was in the Tour of Spain, and that was 55kmh.

"Today was even faster - it was almost 57kmph. The first hour was more than 59kmph. That’s incredible! It was almost all day with a strong tailwind, and sometimes a tail crosswind, and from the gun it was full gas and echelons.”

The riders were so far ahead of schedule that the VIP buffet at the finish hadn't even started serving by the time Tom Boonen roared across the line.

"That was fast!," Boonen said after the stage. "I’m not 100% sure, but the fastest stage before, I won, in Paris Nice. It was 57.5kmph. "

The stage Boonen was referring to was the second stage of the 2005 edition of the 'Race to the Sun,' where ironically snow storms shortened the stage to just 46.5km.

Back then Boonen beat Kurt Asle Arevsen and Yaroslav Popvych with a wind assisted time of 53'31" and, according to our calculations, an average of 52.1kmph.

We'll forgive Boonen for embellishing his previous record, but this one he can keep.

56.816kmph.

Related links

Tom Boonen not surprised to beat Andre Greipel in Qatar sprint

Tom Boonen wins Tour of Qatar stage four

Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) was not surprised to beat Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) in the sprint at the end of the fourth stage of the 2014 Tour of Qatar, one of the fastest road stages in professional cycling history.

After riding at an average of 57kmph for 135km, Boonen came from the wheel of the German champion with around 100m to go and narrowly pipped him on the line after less than two and a half hours.

“[It’s] not a surprise. The key was timing,” Boonen said at the end of the stage. “I waited until he [Greipel] was at top speed and I knew I had that 100m punch and that’s what I’ve been working on since I started training again.”

Roared on by a northwesterly tailwind, Boonen’s second stage win in Qatar this year brought his overall tally at the race to 22.

His sprint finish into Mesaieed echoes the Boonen of old, who challenged for bunch sprints and won the green jersey of the Tour de France in 2007.

The Belgian superstar is supremely confident at the head of his Omega Pharma-Quickstep team in Qatar, who with two stages to race have kept Niki Terpstra in the leader’s gold jersey and filled five of the top ten overall.

“It helped that I already won one stage, so I was a little bit more relaxed and didn’t make mistakes,” Boonen added. “It’s also being in very good condition and knowing where you can go [sprint], it gives you the confidence not to make mistakes.”

Boonen’s psychological confidence is matched by his physical condition; his sunken cheeks and lean, tanned limbs hint at a rider approaching his physical peak.

The 33 year-old is confident that even more is to come before his main goals of the season, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

“All the work I have done so far is just normal work that I have always done. I think at this point going into Paris Nice there will still be some improvement,” he said.

“It’s better to be in shape at this point than to be looking for condition.”

The hirsute Boonen is also planning one more physical change before the spring classics: having a shave.

“I don’t know, I like it,” he joked about his facial hair. “Do a poll in the newspaper, eh? Yes or no, should I shave.”

“Now, with my moustache, if I drink then all the stuff gets in it. I think I will shave before [the Tour of] Oman.”

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Tom Boonen wins Tour of Qatar stage four

In the Tour of Qatar hotseat with Michael Hepburn

Tom Boonen wins Tour of Qatar stage two

Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) won the fourth stage of the 2014 Tour of Qatar on Wednesday, out-pacing Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) in the bunch sprint.

Barry Markus (Belkin) placed third, with Irish sprinter Sam Bennett (NetApp-Endura) in fifth.

It's Boonen's 22nd stage win in the race, and his second victory in this year's edition.

Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) maintains his overall lead in the race, with Boonen moving up to second and Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol) slipping to third. Brit Ian Stannard (Sky) is fourth at 37 seconds.

Results
Tour of Qatar 2014, stage four: Dukhan to Mesaieed, 135km
1. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep in 2-22-34

2. Andre Greipel (Bel) Lotto-Belisol

3. Barry Markus (Ned) Belkin

4. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge

5. Sam Bennett (Irl) NetApp-Endura

6. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana

7. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ

8. Matteo Peluchhi (Swi) IAM Cycling

9. Michael Van Staeyen (Ger) Topsport Vlaanderen

10. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky all at same time

Overall classification after stage four
1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

2. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 17 secs

3. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto-Belisol at 20 secs

4. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 37 secs

5. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 47 secs

6. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo at 48 secs

7. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto-Belisol at 51 secs

8. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 1-00

9. Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 1-08

10. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Tinkoff-Saxo at 1-21

Michael Hepburn wins stage three of the Tour of Qatar

Tom Boonen wins Tour of Qatar stage two

Tour of Qatar 2014, stage two: Tom Boonen back to winning ways in the Tour of Qatar

Michael Hepburn has won stage three of the Tour of Qatar with Niki Terpstra retaining the overall lead after the 10.9km individual time trial.

Hepburn stopped the clock at the end of the Lusail Circuit in 13 minutes and 28.61 seconds for his second victory of the 2014 season following his win at January's Australian national time trial championships.

The 22 year old best Lars Boom (Belkin) and Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff-Saxo) to take line honours at the end of the race riders contested on road bikes because of obvious logistical reasons. Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) finished fifth, behind Fabian Cancellara (Trek), to hold onto the gold leader's jersey. Britain's Ian Stannard (Sky) jumped from seventh to fifth overall with a solid performance whilst compatriot Andrew Fenn rounds out the top 10 of the general standings that includes five of his teammates.

Tour of Qatar 2014, stage three: Lusail Circuit, 10.9km

1. Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 13-38

2. Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin at 1 secs

3. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo at 6 secs

4. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Trek

5. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 8 secs

6. Martin Elmiger (Sui) IAM at 10 secs

7. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 13 secs

8. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC at 15 secs

9. Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge at 16 secs

10. Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 17 secs

Overall classification after stage three

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 6-57-06

2. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol at 21 secs

3. Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin at 24 secs

4. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 28 secs

5. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 35 secs

6. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 45 secs

7. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinoff-Saxo at 49 secs

8. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol

9. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 58 secs

10. Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick Step at 1-06

Tom Boonen wins Tour of Qatar stage two

Tour of Qatar 2014, stage two: Tom Boonen back to winning ways in the Tour of Qatar

Ian Stannard aims to capitalise on Tour of Qatar time trial

Ian Stannard will look to elbow his way onto the top of the Tour of Qatar classification following the crucial stage three time-trial taking place on Tuesday.   

The 26 year-old Sky team leader moved up to sixth on the general classification on stage two, a reward for making the key, race-winning move with 60km to go along with Sky teammates Luke Rowe and Bernie Eisel.

Many eyes at tomorrow’s 10.9km time trial will be on the likes of Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory) and race leader Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quickstep).

However Stannard, who is 23 seconds down on Terpstra, believes the fact that it will be raced on road bikes (in order to save teams the cost of sending their TT bikes from Europe to Qatar) could play to his advantage.

“It’s definitely an advantage to do it on road bikes, it suits me more,” he said at the end of the stage as he tucked into a slice of pepperoni pizza.

“I haven’t been working on time trialling, but the Tour of Britain time trial went quite well, that was the last one, so I can take some positives from that.”

It took some 100km of racing on the 160km second stage of this year’s Tour of Qatar for a break to stick, but when it did there was no doubting its compostion.

Five Omega Pharma-Quickstep riders and a host from Lotto-Belisol, Tinkoff-Saxo and Belkin forced their way to the front around a notorious right hand bend before powering down the motorway to Al Khor with a roaring tailwind.

Tom Boonen took the sprint to the line after a leadout from Andy Fenn, whose fourth place moved him into the pearl white jersey of best young rider. Stannard placed sixth.

“That was probably one of the toughest days I’ve had here,” said Luke Rowe, who crossed the line a few seconds down on the winner. “It split with 60km to go and that’s a lot way when you’re going full gas at the end.

“It’s always nice to make the front group. I pulled as hard as I could for as long as I could to try and get as many seconds as possible for the benefit of Ian, so I’m pretty happy with myself.”

Three more typical flat and windy road stages follow tomorrow’s time trial, with the race concluding on Friday in Doha.

“He [Stannard] is looking good for the TT tomorrow,” Rowe added. “I think he can put in a good performance and get on the podium.”

Tom Boonen wins Tour of Qatar stage two

Tour of Qatar 2014, stage two: Tom Boonen back to winning ways in the Tour of Qatar

Andy Fenn in Omega Pharma-Quickstep 'A-team' at the Tour of Qatar

Andy Fenn playing his part in the Omega Pharma-Quickstep powerhouse at the Tour of Qatar

Ian Stannard: Rider Profile

Ian Stannard - rider profile, biog, cycling results, photos

Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) won the second stage of the 2014 Tour of Qatar on Monday, bringing his total stage wins in the race to 21 - not including his four overall wins.

Boonen suffered during the 2013 season, first with a severe infection in his arm and then a fractured rib after crashing in the Tour of Flanders, which led to him missing Paris-Roubaix. His win shows that he is on track for 2014.

Just as in Sunday's opening stage, the high winds split the Tour of Qatar peloton to assist in the formation of an elite selection at the front of the race - including Boonen and his team-mate and overall race leader Niki Terpstra.

Michael Morkov (Tinkoff-Saxo) came home in second behind Boonen, with Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol) in third.

British riders Andy Fenn (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Ian Stannard (Sky) finished in the front group of eight riders, in fourth and sixth respectively. Fenn moves into the lead in the best young riders classification and is now sixth overall with Stannard seventh overall.

Terpstra finished in seventh place to maintain the overall lead going in to Tuesday's third stage: a 10.9km individual time trial around Lusail which should serve to shake up the general classification.

Results
Tour of Qatar 2014, stage two: Camel Race Track to Al Khor Corniche, 160.5km
1. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

2. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo

3. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol

4. Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

5. Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo

6. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky

7. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

8. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol all same time

9. Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin at 5 secs

10. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Tinkoff-Saxo at same time

Overall classification after stage two

1. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickStep in 6-43-30

2. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol at 5 secs

3. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 14 secs

4. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo at 20 secs

5. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto-Belisol at 26 secs

6. Andy Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 26 secs

7. Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky at 26 secs

8. Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo at 26 secs

9. Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin at 31 secs

10. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Tinkoff-Saxo at 31 secs

Related links

Tour of Qatar 2014: Coverage and preview

Andy Fenn is riding with giants at the Tour of Qatar.

The 6’1” British rouleur, remarkably, is the second smallest rider on his Omega Pharma-Quickstep team at the race, with only iljo Keisse (6’0”) to look down to.

Around him for the duration of the six day race this week are Tom Boonen (6’4”), Gert Steegmans (6’3”), Nicolas Maes (6’3”), Niki Terpstra (6’2”) and Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (6’4”).

Looming above them all like a new skyscraper on the Doha skyline is Stijn Vandenbergh (6’7”).

As one Belgian newspaper journalist put it: we don’t have Giant-Shimano at this race, we have a giant Omega Pharma-Quickstep.

“It’s a bit different from racing the Tour of Catalunya isn’t it!?” Fenn joked at the start of the first stage of the race in Al Wakra.

“They are all big strong guys; you can see why they like the crosswinds and the powerful stuff. At least they give a lot of shelter, that’s a bonus.”

The Belgian squad’s manager Patrick Lefevere told Cycling Weekly he has sent ‘more or less’ his 'Classics A team' to Qatar, with Niki Terpstra taking the race lead after winning from a successful breakaway on stage one.

For 23 year-old Fenn, who started his third season in the pro ranks at the Tour Down Under,  a strong performance with the big boys could keep him in the frame for a spot at the Spring Classics this season.

"I’ve got to show well, do what the team asks of me," he said. "If they think I can do something in one of the Classics then they’ll put me in [the squad].

“The Classics are a big thing for this team and there is a big group of riders that all want to do them,” he added. “You have to fight for your place.

"I feel like I’ve stepped up this season, and I feel pretty good at the moment and that will show more in the Belgian races."

Related links

Andy Fenn aiming for spot in Classics

Niki Terpstra wins Tour of Qatar stage one

Sam Bennett: neo-pro nerves at the Tour of Qatar