Time for the second Crits Series to kick off. Welcome (back) to Qatar, where Tom Boonen took his first race-win in 2013 just a couple of days ago. Now it's time for the less prominent riders to fight for wins like that - the Qatar Airways Cycle Classic is ready to begin.
The list of favorites for the Qatar CC is quite long, as several sprinters meet on the same level here: Kazakh veteran Assan Basayev and Russian Leonid Krasnov, as well as Anuar Manan and Ahmad Haidar Anuawar feature this list. But there's also Hossein Nateghi and Greek sprinter Georgos Tzortzakis, who don't have to hide.
And of course we have the battle of MTN's Cherif Abdallah and Tyler Day, who both dominated the flat races in the Herald Cycle Series. Abdallah currently leads the Crits-Overall by 34 points, with Day (30) trying to overtake him here in Qatar. Same goes for Abdalla Ben Youcef (21 pts), who will at least aim for some more ranking points.
It took one lap for the first attacks: Tomohiro Kinoshita (Nippo) once again shows, that Meiji's manager can look forward to some more breakaway-attempts this season. He's joined by Neofytos Sakellaridis (Hellas) and Behnam Khalilikhosroshani (Tabriz).
Halfway through the race (still 27km to go), the peloton looks still in control of the race, as the gap peaked at 2'00" and already starts decreasing, with teams like Astana (Basayev), Katusha (Mironov) and Africa 1 (Day) sharing the work for their designated leaders.
3 laps remaining (16km) and now we got the Crits-typical attacks! Phucong Sai-Udomsin (Terengganu), Evgeni Popov (Katusha) try to break clear, with Adil Jelloul (Africa 2) following.
We also see a quite suprising move by Abdalla Ben Youcef (Algeria). The sprinter jumped behind, he obviously sees a chance for this attempt here.
So with 14km left, the early breakaway maintains a now 1'10"-lead over the peloton, with group Ben Youcef being in between, + 30". This ain't looking like the race is settled, as the pack seems still well prepared.
1 and a half lap to go (about 8kms) and group Ben Youcef couldn't hold on to their small gap. With the break of the day still in the lead, it's time for some more late attacks: Free Agent Konstantin Volik (Uzbekistan) goes on the attack. Ilnur Zakarin (RusVelo) tries to join, but he will fail quickly.
Volik couldn't establish a bigger gap as Team Africa 1 is pacing hard on the chase.. but Volik goes again, this time accompanied by Sonomtseren Delgerbayar from Team Mongolia!
This two now fly pass the early escapees, just as they enter the final lap! The peloton, still lead by Africa 1 and Astana, is within sight, but Volik's kick was strong this time.
And here goes the counter-attack by Delgerbayar! He's known as a pure fighter and Team Mongolia (lacking a top-sprinter) will be glad to see one of their guys showing their colors.
Volik ain't done yet! With 3kms left, we have another counter-attack! Delgerbayar now looks like he won't fight back.. Volik with another move, and the peloton enters the second-last corner.
This brave Volik won't stand a chance.. the sprint-trains by Africa 1 and Astana are simply to strong today, as we have this situation with 2kms left:
Volik
Lutsenko
Uwimana
Tleubayev
Van Heerden
Bassayev
Day
Mironov
Krasnov
Tzortzakis
Manan
Nateghi
And the teams, which shared most of today's work in the chase, come down the stretch as first! Astana's Tleubayev leads-out Basayev (with Krasnov at his wheel), and Africa 1's Van Heerden leads his captain Tyler Day out of the final corner!
It looks like we will see a battle between Basayev, Day and Krasnov, as Van Heerden did his work and loses ground. Tzortzakis and Nateghi seem to far behind to challenge for the victory.
Only a few meters to go: Basayev took the leading position, with Day on 2nd and Krasnov struggling to pass him.. Van Heerden still holds on to 4th position, blocking Tzortzakis and facing a late kick by Nateghi!
Assan Basayev wins the opening race of the Qatar Cycle Classics, with Tyler Day as 2nd and Leonid Krasnov completing the podium! A great start for late-entry Basayev and Tyler Day, too: the South African has a good chance to take the Crits-Overall now, as Cherif Abdallah was nowhere to be seen yet..
..the winner of the Herald Cycle Series finishes 9th today. A rather disappointing start into this Crit Series for Abdallah.. meanwhile, Hossein Nateghi took the 4th place, ahead of Tzortzakis and a strong Van Heerden. Anuar Manan, a surprising strong Wen Hao Li and late-attacking Ben Youcef complete the Top-10.
Assan Basayev and Russian 
Leonid Krasnov, as well as 
Anuar Manan and Ahmad Haidar Anuawar feature this list. But there's also 
Hossein Nateghi and Greek sprinter 
Georgos Tzortzakis, who don't have to hide.
Cherif Abdallah and 
Tyler Day, who both dominated the flat races in the Herald Cycle Series. Abdallah currently leads the Crits-Overall by 34 points, with Day (30) trying to overtake him here in Qatar. Same goes for 
Abdalla Ben Youcef (21 pts), who will at least aim for some more ranking points.
Wen Hao Li
