Quick Step bounced back from the worst week in their history with a team time trial win on Doha's Al Corniche road in the Tour of Qatar.
While former rider Johan Museeuw and team manager Patrick Lefevre are embroiled in separate scandals back home, the riders made no secret of their desire to defend Tom Boonen's Tour of Qatar title, riding in tight formation around the windy Bay of Doha to finish five seconds in front of Milram.
Liquigas were third a further two seconds back. Quick Step domestique Steven De Jongh (pictured) was first across the line, giving him the leader's yellow jersey.
On the podium, Tom Boonen pointed at the logo on his jersey, then gave a thumbs-up signal to the press photographers. If Quick Step have been damaged by the recent scandal in Belgium, it hasn't shown in their riding.
Stage two, 135 kilometres from Al Wakra to Doha, will pit Boonen against Alessandro Petacchi for the first time head to head in a sprint since early 2006, before the Italian injured his knee at the 2006 Giro d'Italia.
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