Tour of Qatar 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index
The Tour of Qatar, starting on Sunday, February 6, offers a relatively easy warm-up for Classics riders to refamiliarise themselves with whipping cross winds and nervous bunch racing, and test their form.
A total of 16 teams with eight riders per squad will line up for the six-day, UCI 2.1-ranked race. The teams are a mixture of Proteam and Professional Continental-level squads.
Britain is well represented at the race with ten riders from four teams: Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad), Russell Downing (Team Sky), Alex Dowsett (Team Sky), Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky), Jeremy Hunt (Team Sky), Ian Stannard (Team Sky), Roger Hammond (Garmin-Cervelo), Daniel Lloyd (Garmin-Cervelo), Mark McNally (An Post-Sean Kelly) and Andrew Fenn (An Post-Sean Kelly).
Cavendish, Hammond, Hunt and Downing will be gunning for stage wins in the bunch sprints up against the likes of three-time Qatar winner Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Francesco Chicchi (Quick Step), Theo Bos (Rabobank), Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Cervelo) and Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad).
Last year Belgian Wouter Mol (Vacansoleil) took a surprise overall win after getting into a successful escape on stage two with stage winner Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator). The fragmented bunch couldn't bring the race back together in the crosswinds and Mol went on to defend his lead until the race's conclusion.
Mol is not back to defend his title in 2011 as his Vacansoleil team aren't on the start list.
Tour of Qatar 2011: Video
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Tour of Qatar 2011: Video highlights
Tour of Qatar 2011: Latest news
Renshaw loses sleep but wins big time in Qatar
Haussler's battle for Tour of Qatar victory not finished
Haussler delighted by first win in seven months
Hunt and Hammond move up in Qatar
ASO enforces race radio ban in Qatar
Cavendish has second bad fall of season in Tour of Qatar
Dowsett aiming for Tour of Qatar prologue
Tour of Qatar 2011: Stage reports
Stage five: Renshaw claims overall win
Stage four: Renshaw takes stage and lead
Stage three: Haussler takes control
Stage two: Haussler wins stage two
Stage one: Boonen wins opening road stage and takes lead
Prologue: Boom wins Tour of Qatar opener
Tour of Qatar 2011: Photo galleries
By Graham Watson
Stage four gallery
Stage three gallery
Stage two gallery
Stage one gallery
Prologue photo gallery
Tour of Qatar 2011: Teams
An Post-Sean Kelly (Ireland)
Astana (Kazakhstan)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli (Italy)
Francaise des Jeux (France)
Garmin-Cervelo (USA)
Geox-TMC (Italy)
HTC-Highroad (USA)
Katusha (Russia)
Lampre-ISD (Italy)
Leopard-Trek (Luxembourg)
Quickstep (Belgium)
Rabobank (Netherlands)
Skil-Shimano (Netherlands)
Team Sky (Great Britain)
Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator (Belgium)
Tour of Qatar 2011: British riders
Click on a rider's name to read their individual profile.
Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad)
Russell Downing (Team Sky)
Alex Dowsett (Team Sky)
Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky)
Jeremy Hunt (Team Sky)
Ian Stannard (Team Sky)
Roger Hammond (Garmin-Cervelo)
Daniel Lloyd (Garmin-Cervelo)
Mark McNally (An Post-Sean Kelly)
Andrew Fenn (An Post-Sean Kelly)
Sun, sand and crosswinds
Tour of Qatar 2011: Stages
Sunday Feb 6: Prologue, Cultural Village to Cultural Village, 2.5km, winner: Lars Boom>>
Monday Feb 7: Stage 1, Dukhan to Al Khor Corniche, 145.5km, winner: Tom Boonen>>
Tuesday Feb 8: Stage 2, Camel Race Track to Doha Golf Club, 135.5km, winner: Heinrich Haussler>>
Wednesday Feb 9: Stage 3, Al Wakra to Mesaieed, 150.5km, winner: Heinrich Haussler>>
Thursday Feb 10: Stage 4, West Bay Lagoon to Al Kharaitiyat, 153.5km, winner: Mark Renshaw>>
Friday Feb 11: Stage 5, Sealine Beach Resort to Doha Corniche, 126.5km, winner: Andrea Guardini>>
Overall winner: Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad)
Tour of Qatar 2011: TV guide
The 2011 Tour of Qatar will be shown by satellite and digital TV channel British Eurosport with both live coverage and highlights programmes. Schedule may be subject to change.
Sunday, February 6, 12-1pm, Prologue, British Eurosport 2, LIVE
Sunday, February 6, 7.30-8.30pm, Prologue, British Eurosport 2, highights
Monday, February 7, 12-1pm, Stage 1, British Eurosport 2, LIVE
Monday, February 7, 10.15-11.15pm, Stage 1, British Eurosport 2, highlights
Tuesday, February 8, 12-1pm, Stage 2, British Eurosport 2, LIVE
Tuesday, February 8, 9.45-10.45pm, Stage 2, British Eurosport 2, highlights
Wednesday, February 9, 12-1pm, Stage 3, British Eurosport 2, LIVE
Wednesday, February 9, 8.45-9.45pm, Stage 3, British Eurosport 2, highlights
Thursday, February 10, 12-1pm, Stage 4, British Eurosport 2, LIVE
Thursday, February 10, 7-8pm, Stage 4, British Eurosport 2, highlights
Friday, Feburary 11, 12-1pm, Stage 5, British Eurosport 2, LIVE
Friday, Feburary 11, 5.45-6.30pm, Stage 5, British Eurosport 2, highlights
2010 Tour of Qatar winner Wouter Mol
Tour of Qatar: Last year's final top ten (2010)
1. Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil in 15-55-17
2. Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator at 35secs
3. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step at 1-45
4. Roger Kluge (Ger) Milram at 1-59
5. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing at 2-05
6. Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha at 2-09
7. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at 2-17
8. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo at 2-28
9. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo at 2-37
10. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Saxo Bank at 2-40
Tour of Qatar: Previous winners
2010: Wouter Mol
2009: Tom Boonen
2008: Tom Boonen
2007: Wilfried Cretskens
2006: Tom Boonen
2005: Lars Michaelsen
2004: Robert Hunter
2003: Alberto Lodo
2002: Thorsten Wilhelms
Related links
Tour of Qatar 2010: Coverage index
Cycling Weekly: Rider Profiles 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