Sixteen teams selected for Tour of Qatar event Monday, 23 January 2012 01:01

Doha: The Tour of Qatar has selected 16 teams of eight riders to compete in its 11th edition which will take place from February 5-10. These dates will signal a return to business for many leading lights of cycling’s elite.

2012 Tour of Qatar race organisers ASO have finally issued the team lineup for this year’s race. A total of eleven UCI ProTeams will compete there, along with three Pro Continental teams and two Continental squads.

The list of top level teams comprises the BMC Racing Team, FDJ-BigMat, Garmin-Barracuda, GreenEdge, Katusha, Liquigas-Cannondale, Lotto-Belisol, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Rabobank, Radioshack-Nissan and Sky Pro Cycling squads.

They are joined by the Pro Conti setups Project 1T4i, Farnese Vini Selle Italia and Champion System, as well as Asian Continental teams Bridgestone Anchor and RTS Racing.

Four flat stages are on the programme, which should suit all-rounders and sprinters. There is also a team time trial on the Lusail car racing circuit, where the best teams will display their collective power.

Each of the sixteen teams will feature eight riders, making for a total peloton size of just 128 competitors. That small peloton plus the high winds which can hit the bunch in the flat, sandy country means that the race can be a hard one to defend, and also a place where riders can be easily caught out and find themselves exposed and out the back.

The race will take place from February 5 to 10, and begins with a 142.5km stage fro Barzan Towers to Doha Golf Club. The normal pattern of fast, flat stages is broken by a new team time trial, which will cover 11.3 kilometres on the Lusail motor racing circuit, and which should favour a number of squads including the Tour de France stage winners Garmin-Barracuda, Rabobank, RadioShack Nissan, Sky Procycling and Omega Pharma Quick Step.

HTC Highroad took the title last year with Mark Renshaw.

The race will be followed by the Tour of Oman, which normally features a very similar peloton.

The Tour of Qatar will mark the BMC Racing Team debuts of UCI world No. 1 Philippe Gilbert and 2010 world road championThor Hushovd.

BMC Racing Team Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said the five-stage Tour of Qatar is a good start to the season for the team’s classics squad. “It gives us good velocity and you have to be focusing every day to be at the front because the wind is always a factor,” Lelangue said.

Gilbert, the Belgian national road and time trial champion, said he will use the Tour of Qatar to test his form and ease into the season. “I like this race first because it’s put on by Eddy Merckx, meaning it’s well organized and perfect,” Gilbert said.

“It’s also good preparation for the wind and to get a good feeling with our new riders and teammates.” Former US national time trial champion Taylor Phinney said he is also excited to start his season in Qatar.

“I raced here in 2010 as my first real race against the ‘big boys,’ so I look forward to coming back,” Phinney said.

“I hope to come out of training camp well and really make a showing or be able to help our guys get some quality results.”

BMC Racing Team Assistant Director Michael Sayers believes the race could be harder than last year. “Our expectation is to have someone in the top five on the general classification and to try to get at least one stage win,” Sayers said. Meanwhile, Thomas Dekker will return to World Tour racing at the Tour of Qatar. The Dutch rider is returning to the top ranks with Team Garmin-Cervelo after riding for the Chipotle Development Team at the end of last season, following the completion of his doping suspension.

“Had good training day .. My first competition is February 5 Tour of Qatar,” he tweeted. “Another month of training .. And the BAM ..”The Peninsula

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