February 05, 2013 (Qatar) – Like a year ago, after three days of racing, Mark Cavendish proved once again he was the master of bunched sprints. In Mesaieed like in Al Gharafa last year, the Manx Missile powered to stage victory beating Markus and Kruopis to the line. After a day controlled by the sprinters’ teams, decision was made on the final straight. The Golden Jersey remains on the shoulders of USA’s Brent Bookwalter.

Stage 3: Al Wakra – Mesaieed, 143 km
140 riders at the start (Xu (CSS) non starter). Sunny with slightly less wind

After yesterday’s team time-trial, it was back to a normal stage in the Tour of Qatar for the 140 remaining riders. The pack took off in slightly less windy conditions from Al Wakra for a 143km stage on a circuit around Mesaieed. After 14 kilometres, a crash occurred in the pack with the likes of White Pearl jersey, Taylor Phinney (BMC) and French champion NacerBouhanni (FDJ) hitting the ground. All, but injured KarstenKroon (TST), were able to hop back on their bikes and return to the bunch. The first bonus sprinthttps://pedalmag.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=182126&action=edit (km 20) at the first crossing of the line in Mesaieed, was only just won by Blythe (BMC) ahead of Cavendish (OPQ) and Boasson Hagen (SKY).

Eventually at km 21, seven riders managed to break away: Hayman (SKY), Gruzdev (AST), Lang (IAM), Berard (ALM), Marcato (VCD), Jang (CSS) and Di Corrado (BAR). Their lead grew rapidly from 35″ at km 24 to 2’35 at km 36. After covering 48.7 km during the first hour, the advantage of the front group reached a maximum 2’50 at the second intermediate sprint (km 81.5) won by Hayman in front of Jang and Gruzdev.

>From then on, under the influence of the crosswind, the gap started dropping as the sprinters’ teams took on the chase. Despite a final solo effort from Gruzdev, the front seven were finally caught at km 107. The pack remained bunched all the way to the final straight. Well led out by his new Omega Pharma-Quickstep team mates, Mark Cavendish powered to his first victory of this 12th edition. After capturing a stage win in Argentina at the Tour of San Luis, “Cav” delivers again in the Middle East (5th stage success in Qatar). The Brit beat Markus (VCD) and Kruopis (OGE) to the line.

Brent Bookwalter (BMC) who finished in the pack, keeps control of his overall leader’s Golden Jersey with a 6″ lead over Phinney and 7″ over his other team mate Blythe. Meanwhile, Cavendish, now fourth overall, takes command of the points’ classification and the Qatar Airways Excellency jersey standings. Despite his fall Taylor Phinney remains best young rider of the event.

Results

Stage 1 – Feb. 3 – Katara Cultural Village to Dukhan Beach – 145.2km
1. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 3:28:47
2. Martin Elmiger (Sui) IAM Cycling
3. Gregory Rast (Sui) RadioShack Leopard
4. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling
5.  Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
6 . Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team
7. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
8. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
9. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
10. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ

32 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ
117 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Cannondale Pro Cycling
119 Hugo Houle (Can) Ag2R La Mondiale

Stage 2 – Feb. 4 – Al Rufaa Street – 14km
1. BMC Racing Team 0:16:07
2. Sky Procycling 0:00:05
3. Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:00:10
4. Radioshack Leopard 0:00:11
5. Katusha Team 0:00:15
6. Astana Pro Team 0:00:17
7. FDJ 0:00:23
8. Orica Greenedge
9. Cannondale 0:00:24
10. Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:00:26

Stage 3 – Feb. 5 – Al Wakra to Masaieed – 143km
1. Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team 3:05:14
2. Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
3. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge
4. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ
5. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
7. Roger Kluge (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura
8. John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano
9. Filippo Fortin (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox
10. Soupe Geoffrey (Fra) FDJ

41. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Cannondale Pro Cycling
52. Hugo Houle (Can) Ag2R La Mondiale
67. Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ

GC after Stage 3
1.  Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team  6:49:58
2. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team  0:00:06
3. Adam Blythe (Gbr) BMC Racing Team  0:00:07
4. Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team  0:00:08
5. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team  0:00:10
6. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
7. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Sky Procycling  0:00:11
8. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky Procycling  0:00:12
9. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling  0:00:14
10. Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Sky Procycling  0:00:15
11. Luke Rowe (Gbr) Sky Procycling
12. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team  0:00:20
13. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team
14. Tony Gallopin (Fra) RadioShack Leopard  0:00:21
15. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha  0:00:23
16. Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha  0:00:25
17. Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha
18. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana Pro Team  0:00:27
19. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge  0:00:29
20. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ  0:00:33
21. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-GreenEdge
22. Baden Cooke (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
23. Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:00:34
24. Tiziano Dall’Antonia (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
25. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  0:00:36
26. Jonas Aaen Jorgensen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
27. Ian Stannard (Gbr) Sky Procycling
28. John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  0:00:38
29. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
30. Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ  0:00:39
31. Tom Veelers (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano  0:00:40
32. Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano
33. Martin Elmiger (Sui) IAM Cycling  0:00:41
34. Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team
35. Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ  0:00:42
36. Markel Irizar (Esp) RadioShack Leopard
37. Roger Kluge (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura  0:00:43
38. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Ag2R La Mondiale
39. Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha  0:00:46
40. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling  0:00:47
41. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team  0:00:53
42. Paul Voss (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura  0:00:54
43. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  0:00:57
44. Reto Hollenstein (Sui) IAM Cycling  0:00:58
45. Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team  0:01:01
46. Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano
47. Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
48. Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Esp) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
49. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  0:01:18
50. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) RadioShack Leopard  0:01:23
51. Gregory Rast (Sui) RadioShack Leopard  0:01:32
52. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team  0:01:34
53. Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team NetApp-Endura  0:01:36
54. Matt Brammeier (Irl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:01:37
55. Sébastien Minard (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale
56. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) RadioShack Leopard  0:01:41
57. Murilo Antoniobil Fischer (Bra) FDJ  0:01:45
58. Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team  0:02:04
59. Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ  0:02:15
60. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha  0:02:19
61. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling  0:02:20
62. Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team
63. Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team NetApp-Endura  0:02:24
64. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano  0:02:27
65. Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Sky Procycling  0:02:52
66. Pirmin Lang (Sui) IAM Cycling  0:03:10
67. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team  0:03:17
68. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura  0:03:21
69. Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  0:03:25
70. Steve Chainel (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale  0:03:26
71. Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Katusha  0:04:07
72. Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano  0:04:44
73. Stijn Devolder (Bel) RadioShack Leopard  0:16:23
74. Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team  0:16:29
75. Soupe Geoffrey (Fra) FDJ  0:16:35
76. Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Orica-GreenEdge
77. Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge
78. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team  0:16:44
79. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale Pro Cycling
80. Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team NetApp-Endura  0:16:45
81. Hugo Houle (Can) Ag2R La Mondiale  
82. Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) Ag2R La Mondiale
83. Davide Appollonio (Ita) Ag2R La Mondiale
84. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team  0:16:46
85. Kristof Goddaert (Bel) IAM Cycling  0:16:49
86. Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team  0:16:51
87. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ  0:16:55
88. Barry Markus (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team  0:16:57
89. Nelson Santos Oliveira (Por) RadioShack Leopard  0:17:00
90. Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:17:06
91. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
92. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Argos-Shimano  0:17:09
93. Filippo Fortin (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox  0:17:11
94. Marco Canola (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox
95. Marco Coledan (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox
96. Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox
97. Wesley Kreder (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
98. Russell Downing (Gbr) Team NetApp-Endura  0:17:14
99. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team  0:17:21
100. Chan Jae Jang (Kor) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:17:26
101. Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:17:28
102. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox  0:17:34
103. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) RadioShack Leopard  0:17:38
104. Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:17:43
105. Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team  0:17:45
106. David Boucher (Fra) FDJ  0:17:47
107. Daniele Ratto (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:17:48
108. Markus Eichler (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura  0:17:57
109. Stephen Cummings (Gbr) BMC Racing Team
110. Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Japan  0:18:00
111. Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Japan
112. Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Japan
113. Chun Kai Feng (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
114. Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:18:01
115. Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team  0:18:05
116. Pengda Jiao (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:18:10
117. Marco Bandiera (Ita) IAM Cycling
118. Julien Berard (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale  0:18:14
119. Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Ag2R La Mondiale
120. Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Japan  0:18:15
121. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick-Step Cycling Team  0:18:24
122. Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Japan  0:18:32
123. Andrea Di Corrado (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox
124. Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky Procycling  0:18:33
125. Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Katusha  0:18:44
126. Allan Davis (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge  0:18:46
127. Evan Huffman (USA) Astana Pro Team
128. Brett Daniel Lancaster (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
129. Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman (Mas) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:19:00
130. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:19:05
131. Junya Sano (Jpn) Japan
132. Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Japan  0:19:19
133. Christian Delle Stelle (Ita) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox  0:19:24
134. Fumeaux Jonathan (Sui) IAM Cycling  0:19:28
135. Marko Kump (Slo) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  0:19:40
136. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  0:19:55
137. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team  0:19:59
138. Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  0:20:25
139. Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha  0:20:26