Wild takes second women's Tour of Qatar

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Victory in a tough final sprint saw Kirsten Wild (Cervélo) take a last minute victory in the Ladies Tour of Qatar for a second year running.
Wild had clawed her way back into overall contention after taking bonus seconds in all three of the intermediate sprints on stage three and then finally went and clinched the overall in the final dash for the line on Doha's Corniche seafront.
Wild also avoided a nasty crash less than 100 metres to the line which saw HTC-Columbia's young sprinter Chloe Hosking hospitalised with head injuries. Initial reports say the Australian is in a stable condition.
Although Germany's Lisa Brennauer had a couple of minutes advantage when the bunch hit the final six laps around the seafront, with overall victory on the table Cervélo were in no mood to let the attacks go.
With three kilometres left to race and a ferociously strong headwind it was clear it would come down to a bunch sprint of a front group of about 40 riders, which Wild took in emphatic fashion.
Second was Italy's Giorgia Bronzini, who had been leading the race going into the final stage after her stage two win. Safa-Pasta Zara's Rasa Leleivyte was third.
"I didn't know what my condition would be like for this race because I had to leave our training camp early when I fell ill," Wild said afterwards.
"And although I won the intermediate sprints on the first stage which made me one of the team's leaders, I punctured in the final sprint that day and then I got fourth on the second stage.
"So I knew it was going to be very close and very stressful because I had to win the last sprint and I had only one opportunity. But I took it, and I won."
Asked about her Cervélo team-mate Lizzie Armitstead, who crashed out in the second stage, Wild said "it was a bad crash, she went down hard, hurting her right side and she's got a neckbrace on as a precaution, but I think she's doing okay."
The men's Tour of Qatar starts on Sunday, February 7.
Related links
Armitstead crashes out of Tour of Qatar
Tour of Qatar 2010: Preview and coverage index
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
-
-
Primož Roglič confirms he will leave Jumbo-Visma
Giro d'Italia champion does not reveal his destination for 2024 yet, though
By Adam Becket Published
-
Dr Hutch: The aesthetics of the 'chest-fairing' is a funny hill to want to die on
The earnest buffoonery of budget aero hacks may rile TT diehards, but Cycling Weekly's columnist salutes the cut-price cunning of their innovations
By Michael Hutchinson Published