Cavendish takes first triumph of season in Qatar

Mark Cavendish Tour of Qatar stage four

Mark Cavendish scored his first victory of the season in a windblasted bunch sprint in the Tour of Qatar on Wednesday. After two days of bad luck, the Briton easily outgunned Tom Boonen in the final dash for the line.

With galeforce winds blasting the peloton yet again, in the final 30 kilometres the bunch split apart when Cervélo made their third mass attack in three days.

Cavendish was on the right side of that move and when Cervélo split the group again in the last 15 kilometres, taking race leader Boonen with them. But after a hard chase the front end of the pack re-fused close to the finish.

Referring to Cervélo?s last attack, Cavendish said ?We just had to leave them out there, and take it steady and we?d be sure they?d tire out. We left them there for as long as possible.?

Cavendish is now ninth overall, but Cervélo?s strong ride has left them more than well placed in the general classification as well. Roger Hammond, who was instrumental in both split on stage four and who won stage two is currently lying a strong second overall, just ten seconds behind Boonen.

Quick Step may control the race, but Cervélo look determined to push them every inch of the way to the finish in two days? time. Cavendish, meanwhile, is clearly on top of his game when it comes to the sprints.

2 Heinrich Haussler (Germany) Cervélo

6 Daniel Lloyd (Great Britain) Cervélo

10 Roger Hammond (Great Britain) Cervélo all same time

20 Jeremy Hunt (Great Britain) Cervélo at 19sec

2 Roger Hammond (Great Britain) Cervélo at 10sec

3 Heinrich Haussler (Germany) Cervélo at 12sec

4 Daniel Lloyd (Great Britain) Cervélo at 25sec

5 Andreas Klier (Germany) Cervélo at 27sec

6 Xavier Florencio (Spain) Cervélo at 28sec

8 Gabriel Rasch (Norway) Cervélo at 1min 43sec

14 Jeremy Hunt (Great Britain) Cervélo at 3min 19sec

117 Ben Swift (Great Britain) Cervélo at 37min 07sec

Tour of Qatar 2009

Tour of Qatar 2009

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Tour of Qatar 2009 preview

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