The third annual Ladies Tour of Qatar will get underway this coming Wednesday, promising intense racing once again. The gulf country's crosswinds and flat, deserted countryside is tailor-made for the best sprinters to battle it out for the victory in the three-day event.
Headlining the race will be World Champion and multiple Qatar stage winner Georgia Bronzini, as well as Olympic Champion Nicole Cooke. Many more top level athletes from 15 teams - six national and nine professional - will make up the bunch covering a total distance of 291.5 kilometres.
In the absence of two-time overall winner Kirsten Wild, whose AA Drink-Leontien.nl team does not participate, the obvious favourite will be Bronzini, captaining the Italian national team. But Cooke, although not a pure sprinter, is certain to get involved in the action together with her MCipollini-Giordana team that also features 2009 World junior champion Rossella Callovi and current Italian champion Monia Baccaille.
Other well-known names include Charlotte Becker from HTC-Highroad, Elizabeth Armitstead and Alexis Rhodes from Garmin-Cervélo, Rochelle Gilmore from Lotto-Honda and Roxanne Knetemann and Suzanne de Goede of Skil-Koga.
The 2011 programme boasts the Museum of Islamic Art, the Camel Race Track and the usual finish on the Doha Corniche waterfront.
-
'It’s a pity that such a moment of eternity was taken from us' – Jonas Vingegaard savours improvised Vuelta a España podium celebrations
'The participants must be protected' - Visma team manager Richard Plugge appeals for rider safety -
'Next time it will only get worse' – Riders ask for solutions after Vuelta a España ends with protests and yet another stage cancellation
Michal Kwiatkowski vocal in criticism of handling of final stage in Madrid -
'I don’t feel part of this world anymore' – Marta Cavalli to retire as injuries and comebacks leave Italian climber exhausted
'I have been chasing a condition for a long time, that has never returned' says Italian who won Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and was runner-up at Giro d'Italia in 2022 -
An improvised parking lot podium for Vuelta a España with drink coolers as steps and podium pooches
Chaos around the Madrid finale may have halted the official ceremony but another plan quickly evolved
