EN BREF
| Stage winner | Tom BOONEN |
 (golden jersey) |
Tom BOONEN |
 (silver jersey) |
Tom BOONEN |
 (blue jersey) |
Fabian CANCELLARA |
TOUS LES CLASSEMENTS
| Stage |
|---|
 |
|
• Individual time • Individual points • Best young • Best team |
|
| Overall |
|
|
• Individual time • Individual points • Best young • Best team |
ÉTAPES PAR ÉTAPES
| 1 | Monday 30 January | 131.5 km |
| Khalifa Stadium > Al Khor Corniche | ||
| 2 | Tuesday 31 January | 138 km |
| Camel Race Track > Al Khor Corniche | ||
| 3 | Wednesday 1 February | 160 km |
| Sealine Beach Resort > Khalifa Stadium | ||
| 4 | Thursday 2 February | 144 km |
| Al Zubarah > Qatar Olympic Committee | ||
| 5 | Friday 3 February | 151.5 km |
| Al Thakhira > Doha Corniche | ||
| Total | 725 km | |
LA COURSE
Monday 30 January 2006| stage 1 | Khalifa Stadium > Al Khor Corniche - 131.5 km |  |
|---|
Boonen again!
Belgian Tom Boonen sprinted to success on the day’s first stage of the Tour of Qatar. On the finish line, he beat Germany’s Erik Zabel and South African Robert Hunter. Boonen therefore captures the overall leader’s golden jersey.
LE FILM DE L'ÉTAPE
Sunny weather. Strong winds three quarters face then favourable in the last part. Flat course; 135 riders at the start.
Boonen in the good break
After a few attempts in the first kilometres, including two Capec riders, a Quickstep move with Boonen himself broke the pack in several groups with a leading bunch of 30 riders. The gap increased rapidly (40’’ at km 16, 1’15’’ at km 23) with most of the main favourites in front.
Chocolade Jacques reacts
The gap stabilised to 1’15’’ until the first intermediate sprint at the Oryx Farm where De Jongh beat Clerc and Van Hummel. The Chocolade Jacques team then took control of the chase and moved closer to the leaders, then at 45â€, while two groups were distanced at respectively 1’20’’ and 1’45’’ at km 40.
CSC resistance
With the help of the CSC riders (that had lost Michaelsen, sick), the second pack managed to remain within a minute behind. But after 60 kilometres, Boonen and the Quickstep men, Hunter and his Phonak team-mates, increased their lead again: 2’ at km 74.
Busy Phonak
Before the feeding zone (km 80) a Phonak acceleration and quite a few punctures saw the leading group drop down to 18 riders. The 17 followers got organised and moved closer under the influence of the CSC team, 42’’ adrift at 20 km from the finish. At the second intermediate sprint, won by Clerc ahead of Van Hummel and Jalabert, the leaders advance and reached 55’’ on five following riders with the pursuing group breaking apart.
LE MAGAZINE
INTERNATIONAL DOHA GRAND PRIX
Boonen untouchable!
Tom Boonen perfectly honoured his World Champion rainbow jersey by clinching victory in the third edition of the Doha International Grand-Prix The Belgian made the best of his first race this year to beat Robert Hunter and Erik Zabel after the 108km of the day’s race covered on a circuit on the Doha Corniche in Qatar.
The 135 riders of the Doha International Grand-Prix took off at 2:00 AM for the 12 laps of the seaside 9km circuit. After only 3km, Dutchman Piet Rooijakkers (SKS) was the first to break away from the pack. He was rapidly caught up by two counter-attacking riders: Tom Stubbe (JAC) and David Boucher (UNI).
3 men in the lead
The three riders saw their lead reach 30†after 10km and then move up to 1’20 after 15km with the pack deciding not to chase the escapees. The three-man group enjoyed a maximum 6’30 advantage at km 36, at the end of the 4th lap. At km 74, Frenchman David Boucher suffering leg cramps was dropped by his breakaway companions. Meanwhile, the pack led by Tom Boonen’s Quickstep teammates eased up the pace and moved closer to the front men. At km 94, Rooijakkers and Stubbe were caught by the pack, with 14km left, and less than a lap and a half to go.
Quickstep controls
The pace of the pack carried on increasing under the influence of the Quickstep riders present at the front of the race to control any possible attempt. But with no attack occurring, the pack made it bunched for the final sprint. Well launched by his Quickstep partners, Tom Boonen (QSI) comfortably beat titleholder Robert Hunter (PHO) and Erik Zabel (MRM) for final victory.