Tour of Qatar Photos Feb 6 - 11

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Rabobank's Lars Boom, winner of the 8km Paris-Nice prologue last year, rounded the technical, windy 2.5 km course on Doha's West Bay in a best time of 3'07.39. (Time-trialist bikes and helmets were forbidden inorder to keep travel costs down)	Tom Veelers (Skil-Shimano) on his way to a surprising third (+ 0'05")	The World Champ, Fabian Cancellara (Leopard-Trek) was the closest to Boom's best time (+ 0'04")
HTC-Highroad's Mark Cavendish, the second last rider out on the road, just before he crashed. He ended up dead last (+ 1'13").	Quick Step's, Tom Boonen negotiating the "cobbles", tight corners and the wind over the 2 km course. As the last rider on the course, he knew what time he needed, but came up 6s short for 7th place	Rabobank's Lar Boom will be the race leader heading into the road stages
Mark Cavendish on his way to getting his wounds tended to

Stage 1:   Dukhan → Al Khor Corniche, 146 km  Full Results and Report

HTC-Highroad's Mark Cavendish bandaged up and ready to go after yesterday's prologue crash and his second crash early in the season	Geox-TMC rider Dmitriy Kazontchuck (Russia) at the start surveying the team's support jeep?	The race blew apart in a tailwind after covering 54 km in the first hour of racing. The Yellow Jersey, Lars Boom and Mark Cavendish were dropped shortly after this photo. Boom finished 40th (+5 minutes) while Cavendish finished further back in a large group 12 mins behind the winning break
Over the remaining 90km, this winning break of 18 elite riders worked together in the crosswinds to build up a lead of 5 minutes by the finish. The break consisted of Tom Boonen, Gert Steegmans and Nicolas Maes of Quick Step, Mark Renshaw of HTC-Highroad, Fabian Cancellara, Daniele Bennati, Stuart O’Grady of Leopard Trek, Graeme Brown of Rabobank, Juan Antonio Flecha and Jeremy Hunt of Team Sky, Heinrich Haussler, Andreas Klier, Gabriel Rasch of Garmin-Cervélo, Marcus Bughardt (BMC) and Dominique Rollin (FDJ).	Tom Boonen stomps on the pedals over the final 200m to claim his 18th career Tour of Qatar stage win in time of 2:59:29 (30 mph/ 48 kph). Heinrich Haussler (Ger) of Team Garmin-Cervelo was 2nd and HTC-Highroad's Mark Renshaw (Aus) was 3rd	Quick Step's Tom Boonen moves into the race lead by 4s over Mark Renshaw

Stage 2:  Camel Race Track → Doha Golf Club, 136 km  Full Results and Report

FDJ's rider Dominique Rollin of Canada warmed up by riding a camel instead of his bike before the start of stage 2 from the Camel Race Track to Doha Golf Club	A relatively easy day for the peloton with little wind and a harmless break off the front...	... though Garmin-Cervelo's Jack Bobbridge took a spill at some point and was helped up by race doctor Dany Dejonghe
The sprint finish was won by Garmin-Cervelo's Heinrich Haussler (AUS), ahead of Daniele Bennati (ITA) Leopard Trek and third, Denis Galimzyanov (RUS) Katusha Team	The photo finish	Heinrich Haussler is happy to get 2011 off to good start after his injury plagued 2010 race season and is now 1s off of the race lead held by yesterday's stage winner, Tom Boonen

Stage 3:  Al Wakra → Mesaieed  Full Results and Report

After yesterday's reprieve, the wind was blowing again today. You can vaguely see the rest of the peloton behind the camel crossing post.	Tom Boonen made the break along with Heinrich Haussler who was just 1s behind the race leader at the start of the day...	... but, later, Tom Boonen could have used a little divine intervention. He was dropped by the break after a puncture and finished over 3 minutes down.
For the second day in a row, it's Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Cervelo) first to the line and with plenty of time to spare according to him. He should take a look at today's Tour Méditerranéen finish	Ahmed Al Hemaidi, member of Qatar's cycling federation, gives Heinrich Haussler a hand with his gold race leader jersey	Your new race leader has a 4s lead over HTC-Highroad's Mark Renshaw

Stage 4:  West Bay Lagoon → Al Kharaitiyat  Full Results and Report

Another successful big break today although the winds weren't as strong	1 Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad, 2 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Leopard Trek, 3 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step and out of the top 3 for the first time this week was 4th Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo	The fourth race leader in five days. Mark Renshaw will take a 6s lead over Heinrich Haussler into the final stage on Friday

Stage 5:  Sealine Beach Resort → Doha Corniche  Full Results and Report

BMC Racing rider Greg Van Avermaet of Belgium and An Post Sean Kelly's Gediminas Bagdonas of Lithuania cycle past camels during a break	The rest of the peloton riding past a chemical plant	Onto the traditional finishing circuits on Doha Corniche with Doha, Qatar's capital city in the background
Mark Renshaw following Heinrich Haussler. Renshaw was up by 6s so Haussler likely needed to win the stage for the overall win	A cycling photographer's worst scenerio; a spread out photo finish	The 6th win of the year for 21 year-old and 1st year pro Andrea Guardini (Ita) of Farnese Vini
Your stage 5 winner and the biggest of his 6 wins this year	Qatar Cycling Federation President Sheikh Khaled Bin Ali Al-Thanion and his granddaughter Amina reward HTC-Highroad's Mark Renshaw (Australia) as the winner of the 10th Tour of Qatar