In short
| Stage winner | Tom BOONEN |
 (maillot or) |
Glenn BAK |
 (maillot argent) |
Leon VAN BON |
 (maillot bleu) |
Mikel GAZTANAGA |
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
|
• Individual time • Individual points • Best young • Best team |
|
| Overall |
|
|
• Individual time • Individual points • Best young • Best team |
Stage by stage
| 1 | Sunday 28 January | 6 km |
| Corniche de Doha | team TT | |
| 2 | Monday 29 January | 135.5 km |
| Al Wakra > Qatar Olympic Committee | ||
| 3 | Tuesday 30 January | 140 km |
| Dohat Salwa > Khalifa Stadium | ||
| 4 | Wednesday 31 January | 139.5 km |
| Camel Race Track > Doha Golf Club | ||
| 5 | Thursday 1 February | 160.5 km |
| Al Zubarah > Mesaieed | ||
| 6 | Friday 2 February | 134 km |
| Sealine Beach Resort > Doha Corniche | ||
| Total | 715.5 km | |
The race
Wednesday 31 January 2007| stage 4 | Camel Race Track > Doha Golf Club - 139.5 km |
|---|
Winning option for Boonen
After claiming the team time-trial and the first two normal stages, Tom Boonen added of fourth success to his 2007 Tour of Qatar record.
Making the best of a strong wind, the Belgium took a serious option on final victory by breaking away with a group of over twenty riders after only 5 km.
The film of the stage
Stage 4: Camel Race Track – Doha Golf Club, 139.5 km
132 riders at the start, 17 teams
Weather conditions: slightly cloudy, very windy, some rain
Before the start of this 4th stage of the Tour of Qatar, some riders and team directors certainly had a few ideas in mind seeing the strong winds at the Camel Race Track. Indeed the wind proved to be decisive all along the 139.5 km of the day’s stage. Immediately after the official start, the pack made the best of the tailwind and several groups of riders were dropped. In the lead a pack of just under 30 riders including golden jersey Tom Boonen (QST) managed a decisive move at km 5, while his main rival for victory Alessandro Petacchi (MRM) failed to stay in the leadership. Slowly but surely, the gap between the Boonen group, also including Eisel (TMO), Brown (RAB) and Mondory (A2R), and the Petacchi group (25 men), also including the likes of Nazon (A2R), Chicchi (LIQ) and Clerc (BTL) started growing: 25†at km 8 to 40†at km 35. Meanwhile all the other riders of the Tour were battling it out in the wind and never managed to get even close to the front groups.
At the first intermediate sprint (km 52.5) won by Eisel ahead of Mondory and De Jongh (QST) the gap had gone down to 31â€. After having covered 58.500 km during the first hour of racing, the pace naturally slowed down as the front men headed east and then south, witnessing a side and head wind all the way to the finish. The gap however started increasing again as Boonen and his leading group companions enjoyed a 52†lead at km 68 and then 1’15 at the entry of the feeding zone (km 80).
At the second intermediate sprint (km 93) won by Mondory ahead of Eisel and Boonen, the leading group could still count on a 1’05 advantage. All the way to the finish line, the Petacchi group never managed to catch the front men despite moving closer at km 105 (44â€). Probably understanding that the race was over for them, the gap increased with 25 km to go: 1’15 at km 118 and then 2’10, 10 km from the finish line. Victory was therefore to go to one of the 22 riders in the leading group. Counting on the help of three of his Quickstep team mates, Tom Boonen once again proved to be the fastest to the line. The Belgian claimed his fourth success this year beating Brown and Fischer (LIQ) in the final sprint. Meanwhile, Alessandro Petacchi and his chasing group crossed the finish line with a deficit of over 5’. Title holder Boonen now has a 27†overall lead over De Jongh and 33†on Eisel.
LE MAGAZINE
Tom Boonen’s victories in Qatar
2004
2nd stage: Al Zubarah – Doha Hyatt Plaza 151 km
2005
1st stage: Al Khor Corniche – Doha Hyatt Plaza 143 km
2nd stage: Camel Race Track – Qatar Olympic Committee 167.5 km
2006
Doha International Grand Prix: circuit on the Doha Corniche 108 km
1st stage: Khalifa Stadium – Al Khor Corniche 131.5 km
2nd stage: Camel Race Track – Al Khor Corniche 138 km
3rd stage: Sealine Beach Resort – Khalifa Stadium 160 km
5th stage: Al Thakhira – Doha Corniche 151,5 km
Final overall victory Tour of Qatar
2007
1st stage: Doha Corniche – Doha Corniche clm par équipe 6km
2nd stage: Al Wakra – Qatar Olympic Committee 135.5 km
3rd stage: Dohat Salwa – Khalifa Stadium 140 km
4th stage: Camel Race Track – Doha Golf Club
Total:
10 individual stage victories
1 victory in the Tour of Qatar
1 team victory
1 victory in the Doha International Grand Prix