Tour of Qatar: Hammond takes first win in three years

Roger Hammond qatar stage 2 2009

A gutsy attack in the final kilometres of stage two of the Tour of Qatar has earned veteran Roger Hammond his first win in three years as well as the leader?s jersey overall.

The crucial development of the second stage came when gale-force winds had split the peloton on Qatar?s totally exposed desert roads. In a front group of around 14, Hammond was on the right side of the split and with five team-mates for company.

Apart from Hammond, who turned 35 just three days ago, Cervélo?s half-dozen riders included Heinrich Haussler, Andreas Klier, Xavier Florencio, Gabriel Rasch and Briton Dan Lloyd.

Yes, Quick Step were numerically at a disadvantage compared with Cervélo, but Boonen?s record of 14 stages in Qatar and his daunting reputation made him a force to reckoned with.

Lloyd was 11th. Cavendish was in the next group back at 2-11, as was Jeremy Hunt. Gold jersey wearer Bradley Wiggins was at 6-38. Ben Swift (Katusha), for whom the flat, fast crosswind-afflicted race must be his least favourite style of racing, was in the back group of some 35 riders, 19 minutes down. It was only the fifth time in the race's eight year- history that a road stage has not ended in a sprint.

"It was a really hard day. It was a day of attrition. We kept losing more and more riders. Cervélo Test Team won this race, it was a real team effort. At one stage we had seven riders, next best team was Quick Step with three.

Everyone knew it was going to be windy. We are specialists in the crosswinds because we're Classics riders."

From then on just two Britons were in the lead group, Hammond and Lloyd. But even if Boonen?s presence made it look tough for Cervélo, the Swiss team played out their strategy perfectly.

Hammond was one of four designated riders for Cervélo to be in the breaks and in the front groups for Qatar, and the team?s faith in the Briton paid off fully. But can he win the overall with a six second advantage on Boonen?

Tour of Qatar 2009

British rider Ben Swift

Tour of Qatar 2009

Bradley Wiggins wears the leader's jersey during stage two

Tour of Qatar 2009

Hammond wins the stage and takes the race lead

Tour of Qatar stage two, Khalifa Stadium ? Al Khor Corniche, 134km
1. Roger Hammond (GB) Cervélo in 3-33-00

2. Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha at 1sec

3. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervélo

4. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step

5. Angelo Furlan (Ita) Lampre

6. Murilo Fischer (Bra) Liquigas

7. Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervélo all same time

8. Xavier Florencio (Spa) Cervélo at 4sec

9. Vicente Reynes (Spa) Columbia

10. Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence-Lotto

Other British

11. Daniel Lloyd (GB) Cervélo all same time

15. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia at 2-11

44. Jeremy Hunt (GB) Cervélo at 2-11

87. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 6-38

109. Ben Swift (GB) Katusha at 19-56

Overall
1. Roger Hammond (GB) Cervélo in 3-39-30

2. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step at 6sec

3. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervélo at 7sec

4. Murilo Fischer (Bra) Liquigas at 9sec

5. Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervélo at 11sec

6. Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick Step same time

7. Vicente Reynes (Spa) Columbia at 13sec

8. Angelo Furlan (Ita) Lampre at 14sec

9. Xavier Florencio (Spa) Cervélo

10. Daniel Lloyd (GB) Cervélo both same time

Other British

26. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia at 2-20

30. Jeremy Hunt (GB) Cervélo at 2-21

48. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 6-42

130. Ben Swift (GB) Katusha at 21-14

Points competition
1 Roger Hammond (GB) Cervélo 30pts

2 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha 27pts

3 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervélo 25pts

HAMMOND'S PRO WINS

2000 ? Stage win, Guldensporentweesaagse (Belgium)

2000 ? GP Bodson (Belgium)

2002 ? GP May 1 (Belgium)

2002 ? Tour of Beneden-Maas (Netherlands)

2003 ? British National Road Race Championship

2003 ? Stage win, Uniqa Classic (Austria)

2003 ? Overall, Uniqa Classic (Austria)

2004 ? British National Road Race Championship

2005 ? Stage win, Tour of Britain

2006 ? Stage win, Tour of Britain

2009 ? Stage win, Tour of Qatar

RELATED LINKS

Tour of Qatar photo gallery

Wiggins leads Qatar after Garmin take opening team time trial

Tour of Qatar 2009 preview

Cycling Weekly's list of all-time British pro winners

EXTERNAL LINKS

Tour of Qatar: www.letour.fr

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