Henderson shelters Cavendish from Qatar winds

Greg Henderson will launch sprints for Mark Cavendish

Greg Henderson will launch sprints for Mark Cavendish (Image credit: Jon Devich)

By Gregor Brown in Doha, Qatar

Greg Henderson will lead out multiple Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish in the Tour of Qatar this week.

The New Zealander's job will be tough, with cross-winds set to scatter the field.

"The first objective is to get many teammates in the lead-out train. If we are going well we can get three or four guys in the front, and the odds are pretty good if we have that many. However, so many things can happen in conditions like this," Henderson said to Cyclingnews.

The Tour of Qatar's first road stage saw the field splinter in to several groups. Cavendish led home the second group behind the front move of 14 men. Henderson finished in the third group.

There are four flat stages left in the Tour of Qatar, February 1 to 6. All of the stages should suit the sprinters.

"If Cavendish gets to the finish with the leaders he is the fastest, but so much can happen before the final few meters."

The last time Henderson raced with Cavendish was in the June's Ster Elektrotoer. He helped his captain win the Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen in April. Henderson won two stages for himself in the 2008 Tour of Georgia.

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