Tour of Qatar (2015) Photos Feb 8 - 13

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FDJ model their new kit during the Teams presentation prior to Stage 1
Slow start for some		Bradley Wiggins opening his 2015 road season
Feed zone		Lonely, ill-fated break
Qatar landscape	Break is down to 3:05
It's getting late	Jose ROJAS (MOVISTAR) wins Stage 1 ahead of 2nd Tom BOONEN, (ETIXX - QUICK STEP), 3rd Arnaud DEMARE (FDJ) and 4th Peter SAGAN (TINKOFF - SAXO)	Stage 1 winner, Jose ROJAS (MOVISTAR)
And first race leader

Stage 2:  Al Wakra → Al Khor Corniche, 195 km  Full Results and Report

Stage 2 morning reflections for Lampre's Mattia CATTANEO	Stage 2 morning sign in	Jersey leaders prior to Stage 2
Tom Boonen is ready to go. He's always loved this race and has won the GC more than anyone	Twisty rollout	Sandstorms split the peloton and left the morning race leader, Jose ROJAS (MOVISTAR), in the dust
	Early break	Mavic support
Tough stage to control for the leading team	The remnants of the peloton chasing	Trying to bridge up
The successful 15 man break	Alexander KRISTOFF (KATUSHA) wins the Stage 2 bunch sprint ahead of 2nd Andrea GUARDINI (ASTANA), 3rd Greg VAN AVERMAET, (BMC RACING), 4th Peter SAGAN (TINKOFF - SAXO), 5th Tom BOONEN (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)	Tom Boonen post-race assessing the damage the winds played on the GC and his hair
Your stage 2 winner, Alexander KRISTOFF (KATUSHA)	Just a one second lead over Tom Boonen for the new race leader

Stage 3:  Lusail, 10.9 km  Full Results and Report

Bradley Wiggins warming up prior to the stage 3 10.9 km ITT in Lusail, same as last year... with no special TT equipment	Dominique ROLLIN passing two lone spectators in the desert	For those that don't like fighting to beat the Tour de France crowds then this is your race
1st Niki TERPSTRA (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) 10.9 km in 14:03	2nd Fabian CANCELLARA (TREK FACTORY RACING) + 8s	3rd Bradley WIGGINS (SKY) + 9s
4th Maciej BODNAR (TINKOFF - SAXO) in the same time as Bradley Wiggins +9s	5th Ian STANNARD (SKY) + 10s	Lars BOOM (ASTANA) down the ramp for 14th + 30s
15th Luke ROWE (SKY) + 31s	Top Canadian was Svein TUFT (ORICA GreenEDGE) 24th + 42s	This morning's race leader Alexander KRISTOFF (KATUSHA) 26th + 44s, not good enough to retain the race lead
30th Peter SAGAN (TINKOFF - SAXO) +46s	Disappointing TT for Tom BOONEN (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) 33rd + 49s	Your Stage 3 ITT winner, Niki TERPSTRA (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)
And new race leader by 11s

Stage 4:  Al Thakhira → Mesaieed, 166 km  Full Results and Report

Fabian CANCELLARA (TREK) signing in for Stage 4	Jersey leaders at the start line in Al Thakhira	Roll out from Al Thakhira - Mesaieed. The race started one hour early due to a very strong headwind.
Tom BOONEN's efforts for another GC win at this race were dashed yesterday due to a poor TT performance. However, his teammate is in the race lead	Tom BOONEN following Bradley WIGGINS	Race leader Niki TERPSTRA (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)
Arnaud DEMARE and Philippe GILBERT hungering down behind wheels in the strong head	Etixx Quickstep controlling the pace of the peloton	Echelon in the strong winds
Gruzdev (AST) and Salomein (TSV) at the front of the three man break	Ill-fated break with 3’40’’ advantage	Race leader Niki TERPSTRA (ETIXX - QUICK STEP)
After the break was caught, a group of 15 riders got a gap to the line	Stage 2 winner Alexander KRISTOFF (KATUSHA) collects another sprint win ahead of 2nd Peter SAGAN (TINKOFF - SAXO), 3rd Nikias ARNDT (GIANT - ALPECIN), 4th Adam BLYTHE (ORICA GreenEDGE)	Niki TERPSTRA (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) missed making the final group of 15 riders and lost 5s of his lead which was whittled down to 6s

Stage 5:  Al Zubara Fort → Madinat ash-Shamal, 153 km  Full Results and Report

Photo-op with two stage winner, Alessander KRISTOFF in front of Fort Al Zubarah prior to Stage 5. We'll see him again later.	Bradley WIGGINS taking part in a pre-race selfie	KRISTOFF and ROWE
Marcel KITTEL and Eddy MERCKX. Kittel hasn't made it into any bunch sprints yet.	Self start for Stage 5	ETIXX-QUICK STEP and race leader Nikki TERPSTRA on course with another windy day to contend with
Roger KLUGE was part of the break before running into some troubles	Under the Qatar sun
TERPSTRA and BOONEN	Break	Passing by the Al Zubarah fort again
Break	Tinkoff Saxo led by Nikolay TRUSOV and Movistar bringing the race back together for another bunch sprint
Alexander KRISTOFF, (KATUSHA) beats Peter SAGAN (TINKOFF - SAXO) again, this time in a photo finish ahead of 3rd Nikias ARNDT, (GIANT - ALPECIN), 4th Tom BOONEN (ETIXX - QUICK STEP), 5th Adam BLYTHE (ORICA GreenEDGE)	The photo finish. Less than half a wheel was the winning margin	Your Stage 5 winner, Alexander KRISTOFF (Katusha) with his third win this week which moves him back up to 3rd overall + 11s
Niki TERPSTRA is still in the race lead	Peter SAGAN has been runner-up to KRISTOFF twice this week, but hits the podium nonetheless as best young rider

Stage 6:  Sealine Beach Resort → Doha Corniche, 125 km  Full Results and Report

MTN-QHUBEKA resting in the shade prior to the 6th and final stage starting from Sealine Beach Resort	Final preparations in the Tinkoff Saxo camp
Pre-race interview with Bradley WIGGINS	Fabian CANCELLARA and Peter SAGAN with Bjarne Riis in the middle	Stage 6 start scene
Best young rider, Peter SAGAN and Eddy MERCKX	The rollout with Katusha at the front looking to setup Kristoff early for a few intermediate points
VAN HECKE and BURGHARDT in the break	Alexander KRISTOFF followed by the race leader	Aussie support along Doha Corniche
KATUSHA spent a lot of time at the front of the race bringing back the breaks		Alexander KRISTOFF with race leader Niki TERPSTRA after Kristoff picked up two bonus seconds putting the overall race win within reach
		Good crowd support along Doha Corniche for the final stage
	Selfie
The pace quickening near the end	At the end, Team Katusha had spent too much energy getting bonus seconds and chasing breaks that Kristoff wasn't a factor in the final sprint won by Sam BENNETT (BORA-ARGON 18) ahead of 2nd Andrea GUARDINI (ASTANA), 3rd Nacer BOUHANNI (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) and 4th Peter SAGAN (TINKOFF - SAXO)	The crowd before the sixth and final podium ceremony
Your stage 6 winner, Sam BENNETT (BORA-ARGON 18)	Final GC Podium: 3rd Alexander KRISTOFF (KATUSHA) + 9s, 1st Niki TERPSTRA (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) 17:36:48, 2nd Maciej BODNAR (TINKOFF - SAXO) + 6s	Stage winner, final GC podium, best young rider and best team
Niki TERPSTRA (ETIXX - QUICK STEP) talks about his repeat win at Tour of Qatar and his fine form heading into the classics season