I'm usually ok with team time trials. This one I thought it'd be better to carry the sprinters as it was only 8km but it just split the whole thing into a mess.
Gregory Bauge: "Yeah, you can't send anyone in a break for TV time, you can't get me up there otherwise."
Jesse Sergent: "Well, you should have been more prepared to ride 200km by now."
David Millar: "Calm down guys, moaning and accusing isn't going to change anything NOW. We have a choice to make, we have to win a stage here so either we commit to Bauge or we shift to Danny Oss who got in the top 10 off my leadout despite being in the breakaway all day."
We sent Oss in the breakaway for TV time at home and the pace of the catch by the peloton sent several guys well off the back, including Gregory Bauge. When it came back Millar lead out Oss and finished 8th and 9th. Kenny Dehaes won and there was no chance in GC overall with Team SaxoBank leading the way. Mind you, we were not the only ones to be caught out slightly, McEwan and Farrar did as well.
Camera's were not allowed into the Al Jazeera-Gulf Air holding zone after a dire performance that saw nobody involved anywhere near the head of the race, Rene Jorgensen finished furthest forward in about 23rd. CEO Steve Moore did release this statement:
"We continue to be fully committed to winning a race at this Tour. Today was an undoubted disappointment but there are still three races to go where we can potentially grab that win."
Edited by Welwyn on 10-08-2012 11:39
Former Track Cyclist Gregory Bauge joined road cycling team Al Jazeera-Gulf Air in order to avoid a potential track cycling suspension caused by missing several drugs tests over a significant period reports suggest.
Any sign of the Al Jazeera-Gulf Air team being a knowledgeable accomplice could have a huge impact on whether the team will be able to continue their debut season.
As a result, Al Jazeera have pulled the team out of the Tour of Qatar.
Edited by Welwyn on 10-08-2012 13:58
French sprinter Gregory Bauge admitted moving from track to road yesterday in order to circumvent a suspension for missing drugs tests. He also admitted that his Al Jazeera-Gulf Air team were fully aware of his motives when signing the contract, therefore implicating them in the scandal. However, Bauge was adamant that the missed drugs tests were simply that and he has never taken any performance-enhancing substances.
As if that wasn't bad enough for the Qatari team, underground video was released onto YouTube that shows team CEO, Steve Moore saying:
"At the end of the day, it might just be easier to allow everything. At least if you legalised doping, everything would be controlled and open and out there and nobody would be cheating then."
In response to this, Team Leader and former drugs cheat, David Millar resigned in disgust and others are expected to follow.
