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Tour of Qatar Discussion
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 09-10-2026 20:51
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Team Manager
Posts: 6760
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.
 Tour of Qatar
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Preview
One of the premier sprinter stage races, the Tour of Qatar is a ManGame staple since 2008. We're at it again early in the 2026 season as the world's top sprinters battle it out for a prestigeous win - and a ton of ranking points.
Nothing new to see here – five sprint stages and an epilogue to cap things off.
| Rider | FL | SP | AC | RS | PR | Leadout | FL | SP | AC |  Gaviria | 76 | 83 | 84 | 76 | 71 | Hodeg | 72 | 79 | 78 |  Dainese | 76 | 82 | 82 | 76 | 63 | Kiskonen | 74 | 77 | 77 |  Cullaigh | 74 | 82 | 81 | 70 | 67 | Buratti | 72 | 77 | 75 |  Farantakis | 74 | 82 | 80 | 72 | 79 | Gibbons | 75 | 78 | 78 |  Halvorsen | 76 | 81 | 80 | 71 | 68 | Stewart | 75 | 77 | 75 |  Kanter | 75 | 81 | 80 | 73 | 68 | Lauk | 78 | 76 | 76 |  Philipsen | 74 | 81 | 80 | 70 | 67 | Groselj | 78 | 73 | 72 |  Kooij | 77 | 80 | 81 | 75 | 78 | Zijlaard | 76 | 79 | 79 |  Kemboi | 78 | 80 | 80 | 77 | 81 | Vermeersch | 78 | 78 | 77 |  Groves | 75 | 80 | 79 | 73 | 71 | | | | |  Banaszek | 74 | 80 | 81 | 73 | 73 | | | | |  Nur Hasan | 74 | 80 | 78 | 74 | 61 | | | | |  Rodenberg | 74 | 79 | 79 | 77 | 74 | | | | |  Minali | 73 | 79 | 79 | 74 | 70 | | | | |  Vesely | 71 | 79 | 77 | 65 | 55 | | | | |  Lutsyshyn | 70 | 79 | 80 | 73 | 70 | | | | |  Contreras | 72 | 78 | 80 | 75 | 74 | | | | |  Lund Andresen | 71 | 78 | 78 | 71 | 61 | | | | |  De Lie | 75 | 76 | 81 | 75 | 62 | | | | |  Milan | 70 | 76 | 76 | 68 | 63 | |
It's such a deep field here with 12 80+ sprinters and a total of 18 78+ sprinters. Defending champ Farantakis is here again, as are 2024 winner Gaviria and 2023 winner Philipsen.
But there's a decent chance we get a new name on the list of winners. Contenders for that are Dainese, Cullaigh, Halvorsen, Kanter and Kooij, among others. Most of the top sprinters bring decent lead-outs, and it will be an interesting plot to watch which teams will form the most dominant trains.
| FL | RS | SP | AC | FT | | Andersen | 81 | 78 | 76 | 74 | 72 |  Quispe | 81 | 61 | 67 | 74 | 85 | | Katrasnik | 81 | 76 | 63 | 72 | 81 |  Per | 79 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 68 | | Hayter | 78 | 78 | 73 | 73 | 71 |  Sweeny | 78 | 76 | 69 | 71 | 74 |
Some strong rouleurs are here as well, trying to pull off an upset on one of the sprint stages.
| FL | SP | PR | FL | SP | PR | | Andersen | 81 | 76 | 83 | Oliveira | 70 | 70 | 79 | | Ganna | 76 | 69 | 82 | Hayter | 78 | 73 | 79 | | Leung | 73 | 69 | 82 | Razumov | 74 | 64 | 79 | | Kemboi | 78 | 80 | 81 | Zakarin | 74 | 65 | 79 | | Kopfauf | 69 | 74 | 81 | Sajnok | 74 | 73 | 79 | | Herregodts | 73 | 67 | 80 | Matsuda | 76 | 71 | 79 | | Würtz | 77 | 66 | 79 | Christodoulos | 72 | 53 | 79 | | Farantakis | 74 | 82 | 79 | Groselj | 78 | 73 | 79 |
Andersen, Ganna and Leung are the top favorites for the final stage, while Kemboi and Farantakis stand out as the sprinters who could put their finishing touches on their GC campaign.
 Spoiler | De Lie | Arnaud | Aker - Ab InBev | | Eekhoff | Nils | Aker - Ab InBev | | Colombo | Filippo | Aker - Ab InBev | | Gaze | Samuel | Aker - Ab InBev | | Macias | Cesar | Aker - Ab InBev | | Delgado Gonzales | Ricardo | Aker - Ab InBev | | Lecerf | William Junior | Aker - Ab InBev | | Andersen | Mads | Aker - Ab InBev | | Dainese | Alberto | Assa Abloy | | Kiskonen | Siim | Assa Abloy | | Hänninen | Jaako | Assa Abloy | | Rickaert | Jonas | Assa Abloy | | Van Aert | Bernard | Assa Abloy | | Teutenberg | Tim Torn | Assa Abloy | | De Comarmond | Aurelien | Assa Abloy | | Quicibal | Romeo | Assa Abloy | | Gaviria | Fernando | Bolt - Eesti | | Dekker | David | Bolt - Eesti | | Hodeg | Alvaro | Bolt - Eesti | | Mihkels | Madis | Bolt - Eesti | | Svrcek | Martin | Bolt - Eesti | | Pinzon | Edgar Andres | Bolt - Eesti | | Gajdulewicz | Mateusz | Bolt - Eesti | | Klismets | Karlis | Bolt - Eesti | | Rodenberg | Frederik | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Andersen | Soren Kragh | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Resell | Erik Nordsaeter | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Forssell | Hugo | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Finkst | Tilen | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Cannister | Goldwijnn | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Svestad-Bardseng | Embret | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Krigbaum | Mathias | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Philipsen | Jasper | Cedevita | | Groselj | Matic | Cedevita | | Duric | Dorde | Cedevita | | Penko | Izidor | Cedevita | | Stojnic | Veljko | Cedevita | | Kajamini | Florian | Cedevita | | Jarc | Aljaz | Cedevita | | Behrens | Niklas | Cedevita | | Cullaigh | Gabriel | cycleYorkshire | | Steimle | Jannik | cycleYorkshire | | Ballerini | Davide | cycleYorkshire | | Albanese | Vincenzo | cycleYorkshire | | Buratti | Nicolo | cycleYorkshire | | Andersen | Kasper | cycleYorkshire | | Thornley | Callum | cycleYorkshire | | Ballerstedt | Maurice | cycleYorkshire | | Kanter | Max | DK Zalgiris | | Lauk | Karl Patrick | DK Zalgiris | | Videika | Airidas | DK Zalgiris | | Nareklishvili | Giorgi | DK Zalgiris | | Singh | Ronaldo Laitonjam | DK Zalgiris | | Parashchak | Yaroslav | DK Zalgiris | | Bauer | Mikk | DK Zalgiris | | Fetter | Erik | DK Zalgiris | | Brunel | Alexys | Ekoi - Renault | | Forbes | Nathaniel | Ekoi - Renault | | Katrasnik | Gasper | Ekoi - Renault | | Akhmaevi | Sulkhan | Ekoi - Renault | | Arias Villanueva | Sergio | Ekoi - Renault | | Quispe | Alain | Ekoi - Renault | | Kopfauf | Markus | Ekoi - Renault | | Baudin | Alex | Ekoi - Renault | | Farantakis | Stylianos | ELCO - ABEA | | Gibbons | Ryan | ELCO - ABEA | | Sajnok | Szymon | ELCO - ABEA | | Christodoulos | Michael | ELCO - ABEA | | Cavagna | Remi | ELCO - ABEA | | Moutsios | Martinos | ELCO - ABEA | | Uhiriwe | Renus | ELCO - ABEA | | Varotsos | Ioannis | ELCO - ABEA | | Vermeersch | Florian | Evonik - ELKO | | Kemboi | Salem | Evonik - ELKO | | Oliveira | Ivo | Evonik - ELKO | | Campbell | Akil | Evonik - ELKO | | Kurianov | Stepan | Evonik - ELKO | | Budzinski | Marcin | Evonik - ELKO | | Kluckers | Arthur | Evonik - ELKO | | Holter | Adne | Evonik - ELKO | | Van Hooydonck | Nathan | Fastned | | Hessmann | Michel | Fastned | | Vesely | Daniel | Fastned | | Robeet | Ludovic | Fastned | | Havik | Piotr | Fastned | | Van der Hoorn | Taco | Fastned | | Stedman | Travis | Fastned | | Dorussen | Johan | Fastned | | Ponomar | Andrii | Gazelle | | Tsarenko | Kyrylo | Gazelle | | Barcelo | Fernando | Gazelle | | Per | David | Grieg-Maersk | | Abrahamsen | Jonas | Grieg-Maersk | | Pithie | Laurence | Grieg-Maersk | | Hindley | Jai | Grieg-Maersk | | Salby | Alexander | Grieg-Maersk | | Eulalio | Afonso | Grieg-Maersk | | Arnes | Daniel | Grieg-Maersk | | Johansen | Julius | Grieg-Maersk | | Kasperkiewicz | Przemyslaw | Hunter Valley Cycling | | Groves | Kaden | Hunter Valley Cycling | | Vandevelde | Yentl | Hunter Valley Cycling | | Gilmore | Brady | Hunter Valley Cycling | | Sam | Henry Alberto | Hunter Valley Cycling | | Castrillo | Jaime | Hunter Valley Cycling | | Trezise | Declan | Hunter Valley Cycling | | Zukowsky | Nickolas | Hunter Valley Cycling | | Nur Hasan | Sandy | Indosat Ooredoo | | Bittner | Pavel | Indosat Ooredoo | | Sagiv | Guy | Indosat Ooredoo | | Fredheim | Stian | Indosat Ooredoo | | Moiruri | Moses | Indosat Ooredoo | | Kogut | Oded | Indosat Ooredoo | | Herlangga | Muhamad | Indosat Ooredoo | | Meisa | Ade | Indosat Ooredoo | | Ganna | Filippo | King Power | | Contreras | Emiliano | King Power | | Hayter | Ethan | King Power | | Matsuda | Shoi | King Power | | Leung | Chun Wing | King Power | | Krul | Stef | King Power | | Milesi | Lorenzo | King Power | | Hansen | Alexander Arnt | King Power | | Barrenetxea | Jon | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Milan | Matteo | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Arvanitou | Nikiforos | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Soderqvist | Jakob | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Lopes | Lucas | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Bagnara | Luca | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Quadrelli | Rino | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Geary | Dillon | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Halvorsen | Kristoffer | MOL Cycling Team | | Rekita | Szymon | MOL Cycling Team | | Stewart | Campbell | MOL Cycling Team | | Moricz | Daniel | MOL Cycling Team | | Fratczak | Radoslaw | MOL Cycling Team | | Fretin | Milan | MOL Cycling Team | | Singh | Yanglem Rojit | MOL Cycling Team | | Demiri | Mikel | MOL Cycling Team | | Würtz | Mads | Polar | | Minali | Riccardo | Polar | | Sweeny | Harry | Polar | | Nych | Artem | Polar | | Brockhoff | Jan | Polar | | Christensen | Ryan | Polar | | Kaislavuo | Jesse | Polar | | Zangerle | Emanuel | Polar | | Kooij | Olav | Rabobank | | Zijlaard | Maikel | Rabobank | | Meeus | Jordi | Rabobank | | Kielich | Timo | Rabobank | | Bloem | Joren | Rabobank | | Van Den Berg | Marijn | Rabobank | | Pluimers | Rick | Rabobank | | Knight | Oliver | Rabobank | | Cosnefroy | Benoit | Specialized | | Lund Andresen | Tobias | Specialized | | Cemazar | Nik | Specialized | | Kench | Josh | Specialized | | Kloppenborg | Lukas Sulaj | Specialized | | Wallinder | Willhelm | Specialized | | Julien | Matisse | Specialized | | Ramsay | Noah | Specialized | | Banaszek | Alan | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Razumov | Nikita | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Zakarin | Aydar | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Vlasov | Alexander | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Bereznyak | Aleksandr | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Goldstein | Roy | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Gonov | Lev | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Menshov | Ivan | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Herregodts | Rune | Xero Racing | | Ferreyra | Diego Agustin | Xero Racing | | Lutsyshyn | Roman | Xero Racing | | Novardianto | Jamalidin | Xero Racing | | Frankovic | Mateo | Xero Racing | | Romeo | Ivan | Xero Racing | | Hopkins | Dylan | Xero Racing | | Pringle | Nate | Xero Racing |
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 09-10-2026 21:03
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3509
Joined: 07-08-2011
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Here in spirit more than anything else. Hoping for one good sprint from Lund for a stage top 10 but I won't get my hopes up for anything!
Thanks for the preview!
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| knockout |
Posted on 09-10-2026 21:11
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8735
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 500.00
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This is a super interesting race for us as the ceiling is sky high but we could also leave disappointed very easily. Past has shown that the top favourites dont always perform all that great but Kemboi is clearly a podium contender here.
I decided to bring our top leadout here. Is it needed here despite the strong field? Probably not but i was not willing to take any risks in what is surely Kembois most important race of the season.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 09-10-2026 22:21
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World Champion
Posts: 13838
Joined: 05-08-2008
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Kooij might not be the fastest here, but he is one of the better prologue riders among the sprinters, which means that if he can sneak into a couple of podiums he should be set for a good GC.
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 10-10-2026 02:11
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 17075
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 17138.70
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Well, we got really lucky here last year with Rodenberg, with two stage podiums and 2nd overall from a great epilogue. I obviously can't expect anything close to that again. The field is insanely deep as expected. My hope is that he sprints and lucks into the bonifications on a stage or two so that his final GC is solid again. Top 10-20.
Our foil is obviously SKA. I don't believe in rouleurs in stage races, which is why I sent Rodenberg here. But SKA has won the epilogue here four years in a row, and we'll have to hope he'll do the same this time. It would be pretty typical for him to break that streak the second we get him, but in theory he has to be the favorite still. Anything less than a podium is a failure. And we'll hope he can do a nice minor GC from it too, in that same 10-20 range (which he's usually good for).
Thanks for the preview!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 11-10-2026 00:50
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 10-10-2026 03:45
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4857
Joined: 05-10-2010
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Was almost going to leave Nur Hasan at home, but decided to just throw him into the meat grinder here.
Interesting to see that some of the big guys have weaker leadouts, I wonder how that will affect the results. Hopefully Nur Hasan can get involved on at least a few stages and luck out even a little. Excited to see how he goes in his first race as a ‘leader’ for us. Thanks for the preview, hope Gaviria can bounce back and take the win after his performance here last year.
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| quadsas |
Posted on 10-10-2026 05:01
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2972
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Should be quite an easy win for Kanter, the only one with a good lead out, too easy
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| kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 10-10-2026 07:02
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2567
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Thanks for covering the race, cunego! And even more thanks for including the rouleurs in your preview, this way it feels much more like we have something to hope for apart from the epilogue.
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| ember |
Posted on 10-10-2026 08:18
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Team Leader
Posts: 7420
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No expectations here with Kragh gone!  What we can hope for, is De Lie picking up a few bonus seconds to make himself a candidate for some small U25 points, I guess.
Exciting to see how all teams with leadouts do after transfer season. Will be interesting to see what leadouts do wonders and what leadouts fail. Thank you for the preview, cunego!  |
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| SotD |
Posted on 10-10-2026 08:40
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World Champion
Posts: 13077
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Last season this was the best race of our season. We come with a pretty similar setup, but the competition have definately increased with riders like Kooij and Kemboi now being here as very realistic winners.
We didn’t dominate last season by any means, but a stagewin and a good epilogue was enough. Let’s hope for something similar this season!
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| jph27 |
Posted on 10-10-2026 09:22
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7593
Joined: 20-03-2010
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Hoping for the best but expecting the worst from Gaviria here. With Dekker and Hodeg he should have a reasonable quality leadout, but the strength of the field means that may not always count for much, and he will of course lose ground to Farantakis in particular in the epilogue. Half hoping that Hodeg can sneak some bonus seconds on leadout duty as his TT/PR combo should get him a decent GC if he does.
Aim has to be the overall win, but I guess a top 3 and some stage wins would be enough to realistically be happy? |
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| Laurens147 |
Posted on 10-10-2026 19:20
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Sprinter
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Thanks cunego for the preview! I’m rooting for Halvorsen
MG - Lotto - Caloi
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| Sykkel_Freak |
Posted on 10-10-2026 22:09
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2219
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Good start, unfortunately Dainese didn’t have the centimeters on his side for 2nd place, which honestly feels like a bit of a recurring thing with him. Positive that we’re up there nonetheless, and Kiskonen seemed super strong today, which we like to see. Hopefully Dainese can keep onto his wheel going forward, though.
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| knockout |
Posted on 10-10-2026 23:15
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8735
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Pretty terrible start for us. Kemboi missing out on bonus seconds entirely sucks. Needs to get a lot better than that.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| ryant |
Posted on 10-10-2026 23:53
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2464
Joined: 15-08-2012
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Cullaigh bringing home a win early is always important! Given how we are set up as a team we need everything we can get from him and we can't afford any off days tbh...
Cullaigh has always been solid rather than impressive here the last few seasons - inconsistency has really hurt us in the past so fingers crossed we can avoid it this year!!!
 John St Ledger in Team Bunzl-Centrica and Team U25Red Bull Driver in RFactor
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 11-10-2026 00:02
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3509
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Messy sprint, but we're getting a roll of the dice where Lund is sprinting. Thanks for the report and grats to Ryan!
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