Welcome to the first stage, we start at the Barzan Towers in the town of Umm Salal Mohammed. The route travels north for two sprints before heading back south for a finish at Doha golf club in the northern part of Doha city.
We got high wind speeds at the start line at 30 km/hour expected to be even harder in the afternoon. Unexpected in this part of the world it is a bit cloudy.
Dumoulin open up the race accelerating right from the start, over the next 30 km we get a fierce fight between the peloton and riders trying to form breakaway. These riders was in one or more failed attempts Balloni, De Bod, Dumoulin, Karatzios, Lampaert, Ligthart, Potts, Roman, Schachmann
Many teams have taken part in the chase but can mention that Turek, Mansilla and Neilands have been burning lots of calories.
Now we have just 6 km to the first sprint everyone together again, now will a race favourite take the points and bonus seconds?
Doesn’t look like that, a new group of attackers have got 23” with 5 km to the sprint, De Bod, Ligthart, Paillot and Schachmann, but then Ligthart has a puncture and is immediately back in the bunch.
The peloton accept the fact that they can’t hold things together, even letting Richardson glide away. Schachmann takes the bonus sprint in front of Paillot and De Bod
The break builds a lead of 4’25, but from 70 km left it starts to decrease, when the group gets to the 2nd sprint with 56 km left, it is reduced to 3’26”. Again it is Schachmann in front of Paillot and De Bod.
40 km left, distance 2’37”, in the peloton it is now Baska, Danacik, Hnik, Latour, Mansilla, Merino Criado, Neilands and Van der Sanden together setting a very high pace, a dangerous development with wind speeds now 49 km/hour.
The side wind acceleration pays off, soon the bunch is cut in half with 94 riders sitting behind the peloton. Amongst those in trouble are Aberasturi, Bertilsson, Clarke, Havik, Samolenkov, Van Poppel and Vesely
30 km to go, distance to breakaway 2’00”
7 km to the line, the above mentioned riders never got back. Paillot was the first breakaway riders to get caught falling straight through the peloton. The others still have 24”.
The high pace keeps the peloton stretched with Boeckmans, Groenewegen, Maksimov and Silvestre amongst those sitting dangerously low.
4.7 km left
We see the first sprint trains form as the breakaway is basically caught. It is Evonik – ELKO with Nooytens, Dzamastagic and Mansilla for Van Stayen, at Stayen wheel Grosu sitting tight.
Also Iberia - Team Degenkolb seem to be forming a train for Degenkolb
3.5 km left.
This is the situation at the front.
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Dzamastagic
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Mansilla
Van der Sanden
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Van Stayen
Degenkolb
Avelino
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Grosu
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Porsev
Merino Criado
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Ciolek
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Ahlstrand
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Howard
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Coquard
Zabel
Nooytens
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Kump
Enger
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Kennaugh
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Swift
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Brockhoff
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Kristoff
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Notably a train with Croket, Chen and Bewley is formed in the rear end of the peloton, but quite some distance to the front at this late point.
2.5 km left.
Some 500 meters ago suddenly Evonik’s train fell apart leaving Van Stayen alone trying to find a new wheel to grab.
We now got Merino Criado in front of Ahlstrand who have really gained some ground over the last km. behind him Avelino and then Degenkolb
Behind him in the middle we got Van Stayen and Van der Sanden side by side.
At the left side the previously mentioned Bewley train is coming fast, at their wheel Swift, Enger, Boeckmans and Silvestre traveling a 1st class ticket to the front.
Grosu with Howard at wheel, Porsev, Ciolek, Coquard, Kristoff, Mansilla, Zabel, Kennaugh and Kump all in a large tight group behind Van der Sanden and Van Stayen, behind them a 6-8 meter gap to the next riders.
2 km left, things are spreading out a bit more now. Ahlstrand alone in front, surely pushes it to the limit, but can he keep this up? At present he got a nice gab.
Behind him Degenkolb, teammate Merino Criado close at his rear right.
At Degenkolb’s left Chen with Bewley glued and behind Bewley’s left Swift.
A few meters further back Van Stayen, Croket and Avelino side by side.
Then further 6-7 meters down to Enger and Coquard
Behind them we got Kristoff and Zabel at the left side, Howard, Dzamastagic at the right.
Also what we can call in this 2nd group we got Van der Sanden, Porsev, Grosu, Mansilla, Kennaugh, Kump, Ciolek and Boeckmans more or less in that order.
1.5 km left. Ahlstrand still in front, but Degenkolb is getting closer.
About 2 meters behind Degenkolb, Chen with Bewley at his wheel Swift and at Swift’s left Van Stayen.
About 3 meters behind Van Stayen, Coquard seems to be closing in, behind him Enger and Kristoff, at the far right Howard.
We also see Zabel, Kennaugh, Kump in Kristoff’s slipstream.
Merino Criado, Croket, Avelino and Dzamastagic also in what we can call the first group.
Under the red kite Degenkolb passes Ahlstrand who looks a bit cooked now.
Bewley although looking fine is not getting any closer, while Coquard has gained ground now 4th and at Bewley wheel.
Kristoff at Coquard’s left, with Zabel between them just lacking a cycle length, at the right side Howard on par with Zabel.
Left of Zabel, Van Stayen, Chen and Swift all looking rather used, while on Zabel’s right Kennaugh and Kump seems to keep up the pace. Behind Kump also Enger seems to have exploded.
600 meters left.
Degenkolb looking very strong adding to his lead, about 8 meter down to Bewley and Coquard, who have now both passed Ahlstrand
Right behind Ahlstrand Zabel first and to his left rear Kristoff and Kennaugh side by side, they got about 4 meters to Howard and another 3-4 meters to Kump.
Then a few meters to a group with Van Stayen, Swift and Bar, coming incredibly fast out of nowhere!!, Chen and Enger also in this group, and with a sudden boost of pace Dzamastagic closing in on these riders.
300 meters left. Degenkolb seems to have sealed this keeping his distance. Coquard now has the edge over Bewley.
In 4th position we now has Kennaugh very nice steady pace he has kept over the last few km, about a cycle length behind him Zabel
Ahlstrand struggling now at 6th position with Kristoff closing in at his left.
4-5 meters down to Howard another few meters to Kump, closing in on him like a hurricane the unbelievable Bar (his manager must be proud), already overtaken Van Stayen and Swift.
Also Dzamastagic very fast closing in on Swift, may well end up doing better than the team leader today.
Degenkolb wins at Doha golf club, this will be is 4th stage win in Tour of Qatar.
Bewley beat Coquard in a photo finish for 2nd
Kennaugh 4th Zabel 5th
Bar 6th, Kristoff 7th, Ahlstrand 8th and Porsev comes out of nowhere to grab 9th he was not even under the red kite when Degenkolb was at 600 meters.
Tour of Qatar 
