Special rules

The 7^th Tour of Qatar is organised by the Qatar Cycling Federation with technical and sports-related assistance from Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) under International Cycling Union regulations. It will take place from Sunday 27 January 2008 to Friday 1 February 2008 and comprise 6 stages.

This event is reserved for athletes in the Elite Men’s category. It is a Class-1 event on the Continental Asian calendar and awards points as follows (as per UCI regulations article 2.11.014):

• General individual classification: 80 - 56 - 32 - 24 - 20 - 16 - 12 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 and 3 to the first 12 classified riders,
• Stage winners: 16 - 11 - 6 - 5 - 4 and 2 to the first 6 classified riders,
• Winner’s jersey at the end of each stage: 8 points.

As per UCI regulations article 2.1.005, this event is open to:

• U.C.I. Pro Team,
• Professional continental teams,
• Continental teams,
• National teams.

As per article 2.2.003, teams will count a minimum of 5 cyclists and a maximum of 8 cyclists.

Race Headquarters will be open on Saturday 26 January 2008 from 2.00 pm to 5.45 pm at the Ritz-Carlton Doha Hotel.

Team managers will be welcome to claim jersey numbers from 2.00 pm to 4.45 pm.

The Team Managers’ meeting, held pursuant to UCI regulations article 1.2.087 in the presence of members of the college of stewards, is scheduled for Saturday 26 January 2008 at 5.00 pm at the Ritz-Carlton Doha Hotel.

Race information will be broadcast on “Radio-Tour” (162.150 MHz).

Neutral technical support is provided by Mavic, with three vehicles.

The finish deadline for each straight stage is the equivalent to 12% later than the winner’s time.

Exceptional situations may be arbitrated by the College of Stewards after consultation with Race Management.

Contenders start every 3 minutes in the order established by Race Management.

Stage classifications for each team are based on the time that the 5^th contender took to cross the finish line. All cyclists in the team are awarded the same time if they arrive at the same time or earlier.

In the general individual classification, times are allotted as follows:

• The 5^th contender’s real time is taken into account for the 5^th contender and for all other contenders falling under the above rule.
• Real time for contenders who cross the finish line later.

In the team general classification, the real time of the 5th contender in each team is taken into account.

There are no finishing deadlines in this stage. All contenders are required to finish the stage.

Les prix attribués au classement du contre la montre par équipe sont :

• 1^st : 1 800 €
• 2^nd : 1 100 €
• 3^rd : 900 €
• 4^th : 650 €
• 5^th : 400 €
• 6^th : 250 €
• 7^th : 200 €
• 8^th : 200 €
• 9^th : 200 €
• 10^th : 200 €
• 11^th : 200 €
• 12^th : 200 €
• 13^th : 200 €
• 14^th : 200 €
• 15^th : 200 €
• 16^th : 200 €
• 17^th : 200 €

TOTAL : 7 300 €

Time bonuses (applied only on the general individual classification) are awarded for all straight stages (art. 2.6.019).

They concern intermediate sprints and stage finishes, and are awarded as follows:

• 3”, 2” and 1” are awarded in order of arrival to the first three classified riders in intermediate sprints.
• 10”, 6” and 4” are awarded in order of arrival to the first three classified riders to cross a stage finish line.

The general individual classification on time is calculated on the basis of the sum of the times recorded in each of the stages, taking bonuses and penalties into consideration, as defined in UCI regulations article 2.6.014.

The leader of the general individual classification on time will wear a Gold jJersey.

Overall prize money for the general individual classification on time: 91,500 €

A classification by points is calculated on the basis of the sum of the points obtained in each of the stages, as well as the intermediate sprints, as per UCI regulations article 2.6.017.

Points for the 2 intermediate sprints in each stage will be awarded as follows:

• 3, 2 and 1 to the first 3 classified riders.

Points for each stage will be awarded as follows:

• 30, 27, 25, 23, 21, 19, 17, 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 to the first 20 classified riders.

The leader of the classification by points will wear a Silver Jersey.

In the event of a tie in the general individual classification by points, the following criteria shall be applied until the riders are separated:

• Number of stage wins,
• Number of intermediate-sprint wins,
• General individual classification on time.

To be entitled to final general classification prizes, all contenders have to complete the entire race within regulatory time.

Prizes for classification by points are as follows:

Each intermediate sprint:

• 1^st: 200 €
• 2^nd: 150 €
• 3^rd: 100 €

i.e. 450 € x 10 = 4,500 €

Final general classification:

• 1^st: 1,800 €
• 2^nd: 1,500 €
• 3^rd: 1,200 €
• 4^th: 1,000 €
• 4^th: 800 €
• 6^th: 600 €
• 7^th: 500 €
• 8^th: 400 €
• 9^th: 300 €
• 10^th: 200 €

TOTAL: 8,300 €

Overall prize money for the classification by points: 12,800 €

Only riders born on or after January 1st, 1983 may take part in the young rider classification.

The leader in the young rider classification will wear a Blue jJersey.

Prizes awarded for the young rider classification are as follows:

• 1^st: 1,500 €
• 2^nd: 1,200 €
• 3^rd: 1,000 €
• 4^th: 800 €
• 5^th: 600 €

TOTAL: 5,100 €

Overall prize money for the young rider classification: 5,100 €

As per UCI regulations article 2.6.016, the team classification for the day is calculated on the basis of the sum of the three best individual times from each team. In the event of a tie, the teams shall be separated by the sum of the places acquired by the three best placed riders on the stage. If the teams are still tied, they shall be separated by the placing of their best rider on the stage classification.

The general team classification is calculated on the basis of the sum of the times in the team time trials and the three best individual times from each team in each stage ridden.

In the event of a tie, the following criteria shall be applied until the teams are separated:

• Number of first places in the daily team classification,
• Number of second places in the daily team classification, and so on,
• etc.

If there is still a tie, the teams shall be separated by the placing of their best rider in the general individual classification.

Any team reduced to fewer than 3 riders is eliminated from the general team classification.

Prizes awarded for the general team classification are as follows:

• 1^st: 1,500 €
• 2^nd: 1,200 €
• 3^rd: 1,000 €
• 4^th: 800 €
• 5^th: 600 €

TOTAL: 5,100 €

Overall prize money for the general team classification: 5,100 €

Total prize money for the 7^th Tour of Qatar is as follows:

• General individual classification by time: 91,500 €
• Young rider classification: 5,100 €
• Classification by points: 12,800 €
• Team classification: 5,100 €

Overall prize and bonus money: 114,500 €

Anti-doping tests will take place at the Ritz-Carlton Doha Hotel under Qatar Cycling Federation regulations.

The following contenders are required to report after the 1^st team time trial stage:

• the 8 riders in the team that won the stage,
• the leader in the general individual classification,
• the leader in the young rider classification.

The following contenders are required to report after the other stages:

• the stage winner,
• the leader in the general individual classification,
• the leader in the classification by points,
• the leader in the young rider classification.

At the end of the final stage, the following contenders are required to report:

• the stage winner,
• the top 3 riders in the general individual classification,
• the leader in the classification by points,
• the leader in the young rider classification,
• the 8 riders and the Team Manager of the winning team in the team general classification.

Penalties comply with UCI regulations.