Peloton decimated by the wind on stage three as the Australian takes the lead
Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Cervélo) took his second victory in as many days to take the third stage of the Tour of Qatar between Al Wakra and Mesaieed. The Australian outsprinted Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad) and Daniele Bennati (Leopard Trek) at the head of a group of around 30 riders that had freed itself from the front of the peloton as the Qatar wind split it to pieces.
The 150.5km stage was dominated by the wind as it followed two and a bit laps of a 65km triangular circuit, on the east coast of the peninsular to the south of Doha. By the end of the stage the peloton was smashed to pieces as the stronger teams imposed themselves in the conditions.
A breakaway group managed to get away, which included Gediminias Bagdonas (An Post-Sean Kelly Team), Roger Kluge (Skil-Shimano), Russell Downing (Team Sky), Davide Vigano (Leopard Trek) and Maarten Wynandts and Bram Tankink (both Rabonank). With 40km to go they still held a lead of 45 seconds.
None of the break was a danger to the overall standings, but when another group of riders made their way across, not long after race leader Tom Boonen (Quick Step) had suffered a puncture, there was much more for the Belgian to worry about.
The group, now containing around 30 riders contained Haussler, who sat just 1 second behind Boonen in the overall classification, and he had much of the Garmin-Cervélo team with him. Also present were Bennati, and others from Leopard Trek, and Renshaw, Mark Cavendish, Bernhard Eisel for HTC-Highroad.
Boonen’s teammate Gert Steegmans had made the split, along with best young rider Nikolas Maes, but with the Quick Step captain left behind the race lead was slipping away.
With virtually all the riders up front working hard, the gap began to grow quickly, and with 25km to go it had risen to over a minute. This increased to 1’30” by the 15km to go point, at which point the second peloton containing Boonen appeared to give up.
With 6km to go Cavendish, still obviously feeling the injuries he picked up in his prologue crash, sat up and let the rest of the group go.
With 4km to go Simon Clark (Astana) attacked, seemingly taking the rest of the breakaway unawares. The Leopard Trek riders in the group took it upon themselves to bring him back though, and were joined by Eisel and had the Australian under control as he dangled no more that 20 metres in front; he was passed as they took the final bend with a few hundred metres to go and the sprint was on.
Bennati was launched by his team but Renshaw managed to pull alongside him and eased ahead. Haussler though, was on the wheel of Renshaw and, as Mark Cavendish has done so many times to such devastating effect, the German-turned-Australian launched himself around Renshaw to take what looked like an easy win.
Haussler was able to sit up and had already begun to ease up before he crossed the line to take his second win in two days. The 10-second bonus on the line was enough to lift him over Boonen to take the race lead, no matter where the Belgian finished.
Boonen finally came home with the next big group, 3’02” behind Haussler.
Result stage 3
1. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Garmin-Cervélo
2. Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad
3. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Leopard Trek
4. Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ
5. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank
6. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-ISD
7. Roger Hammond (GBr) Garmin-Cervélo
8. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Team Sky
9. Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step
10. Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha
Standings after stage 3
1. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Garmin-Cervélo
2. Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Columbia @ 4s
3. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Leopard Trek @ 15s
4. Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Team Sky @ 18s
5. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Team Sky @ 28s