Cycling Pro Road & Mtb

First victory of the season for Tornado Tom and Team Quick Step

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Parent Category: Cycling Pro Road & Mtb

Category: News Cycling Pro Road & Mtb 2011

Published on Monday, 07 February 2011 18:59

Written by Luca Salvatelli

The air in Qatar continues to harbinger good fortune for team QUICK STEP and Tom Boonen, who holds the record for stages and GC victories on these roads. Today’s win brings his total to 18 stage wins. In today’s stage from Dukhan to Al Khor Corniche (145.5 km), Boonen beat Heinrich Haussler (Team Garmin-Cervelo ) and Mark Renshaw (Team HTC-Columbia) with a remarkably powerful sprint.

"This victory is my reward for all the hard work I’ve put in to returning to top form since my injury last year," explains Boonen. "It was probably the hardest moment in my career, but now I’m happy. From the very first kilometres the heat was on. My ciclocomputer gave readings as high as 75 kilometres an hour in the first phase of competition! The pack broke up almost immediately and only a few of us made it into the lead break. On the lead group there was great collaboration and we managed to repel a bridging of the gap by riders who were left in the second group. My success was just the best part of a very special day" With today’s success, Boonen is now wearing the leader’s jersey, with a 4” lead on Mark Renshaw.

"Right now I’m concentrating on the rankings. I want to race day by day and simply give it my best, then we’ll see. For now let me enjoy this success that is so important to my morale as well as that of the team."

Stage Classification

1. Tom Boonen (Bel) 145 km in 2h59’29’’

2. Heinrich Haussler (Aus)

3. Mark Renshaw (Aus)

4. Daniele Bennati (Ita)

5. Graeme Brown (Aus)

General Classification

1. Tom Boonen (Bel) 3h 02’32’’

2. Mark Renshaw (Aus) 4’’

3. Fabian Cancellara (Sui)