Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team has announced the selection that will participate in Tour of Qatar, from February 9th until February 14th. Returning to the race is Tom Boonen, who has the strongest history of any rider at Tour of Qatar with four GC victories, as well as 20 stage wins. Tour of Qatar— known for strong winds that leave the possibility for a breakaway as well as exciting sprint finales — includes five flat stages no longer than 160.5km, as well as a 10.9km TT.
"After the Tour de San Luis, in which I did some good work, The Tour of Qatar will be another important step in the first part of my season," explains Boonen. "I've always done well in this race. This year, too, we'll be lining up for the start with the ambition to do well, to achieve prestigious results. I really like the Tour of Qatar, it's a race that is perfectly suited to my strengths. The wind is a fundamental factor in this competition; whether you want to or not, it forces you to always try to stay out in front and never underestimate any racing situation. Luckily, pedalling in the wind is one of the things OPQS excels in. I'm really looking forward to this race."
"The Tour of Qatar is a race that is unique in its class, where the wind rules," explains Sport Director Wilfried Peeters. "Normally, the stages end up in tight final sprints with just a few riders. They are unusual sprints because after hours of battling the winds, riders come in to the sprint very tired. We are lining up for the start with a squad selected for this type of route. It will be headed by Boonen but athletes like Nikolas Maes and Niki Terpstra can also do well. There will also be a 10.9 km time trial to be ridden on a normal road bike in which Niki could figure prominently. We are setting out with the desire and ambition to come back with a good result."