90-strong peloton for windy Emirate peninsular race
Race organiser ASO has announced the list of fifteen teams set to take the start of the sixth edition of the Ladies’ Tour of Qatar, which will kick off the women’s season in the northern hemisphere on February 4th. The four-day race, which precedes the men’s race of the same name, has been won on three of its five previous editions by Dutch sprinter Kirsten Wild (Giant-Shimano), who will likely line up to defend her 2013 title.
Twelve of the fifteen teams will be UCI Women’s Teams, which is three more than last year. Once again, the Netherlands will be sending three quads to the race, with Giant-Shimano and Rabobank-Liv/Giant joined by Boels-Dolmans in place of the Dutch National Team, which might well boast the only other race winner in the current peloton, World time trial champion Ellen van Dijk.
Orica-AIS dominated the 2013 edition, putting the peloton to the sword at every opportunity on the flat, windy roads of the peninsular, but was unable to take a stage victory. The Australian squad will be there again this time, and will hope for better luck in the face of Wild’s power.
The Hitec Products team of Chloe Hosking, second last year and the only rider to deny Wild a clean sweep of the stages, will be on the start line again to try to lift the Australian up that one place on the podium.
Wiggle Honda’s Giorgia Bronzini is one of the few sprinters to have beaten Wild in a Qatar sprint, and the former two-time World champion will be at the head of the black and orange team again to try to go one better than her second place overall in 2009 and 2010. Trixi Worrack (Specialized-lululemon) is another stage winner, and the German champion could well be at the head of a new-look team again this time.
Although the Qatari peninsular has virtually no topography to make things tough for the peloton, pressure can be put on the peloton by the stronger teams by accelerating into the wind that blows almost constantly. Bends in the road can be as devastating to the bunch as a short, sharp climb or a sector of cobblestones if a team plays it right, and can blow the peloton to pieces.
Ladies’ Tour of Qatar (2.1) February 4th – 7th
Teams
Australia
Team Australia
Orica – AIS
Belgium
Lotto Belisol Ladies
China
China Chongming – Giant Pro Cycling
France
Equipe de France
Great Britain
Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling
The Netherlands
Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team
Team Argos – Shimano [tbc Giant-Shimano – ed]
Italy
Italian National Team
Astana Bepink
Alé Cipollini Galassia
Norway
Hitec Products
Russia
Rusvelo
United States
Specialized lululemon
Stages
Stage 1, Tuesday 4th February: Museum of Islamic Art – Mesaieed (97 km)
Stage 2, Wednesday 5th February: Al Zubara Fort – Madinat Al Shamal (112.5 km)
Stage 3, Thursday 6th February: Katara Cultural Village – Al Khor Corniche (93.5 km)
Stage 4, Friday 7th February: Sealine Beach Resort – Doha Corniche (85 km)