Win number three for a Brit this week as Mark Cavendish was back where he expects to be, the top step of the podium
Stage 3 of the Tour of Qatar saw the World Road Race Champion, Mark Cavendish win his first race of 2012 and his first wearing the colours of Team Sky. After a small break dominated the stage, the chase to bring it back saw the peloton split into echelons with the top sprinters in the lead group.
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It all meant that many of the worlds best were going to go head to head in a bunch kick and so it proved as the former World Road Race Champion Tom Boonen tried to best Mark Cavendish but the pocket rocket number 2 from the Isle of Man used his renowned speed over the final metres to take the victory from Boonen with Aidis Kruopis (GreenEdge) in third.
Cavendish explained he wasn’t at his best and was surprised the race split like it did but that as ever, his teammates rode 100 per cent for him and he was able to deliver the victory. It wasn’t easy as Cavendish was boxed in at one stage but with a late surge, he came round Boonen to clinch a victory he describes as being incredible wearing the rainbow stripes.
Right: ‘Cav’ Photo: John Pierce/PhotoSport International UK USA Asia
“I’m very happy with that” he said on the Team Sky website afterwards. “I’m still not 100-per-cent but we wanted to ride well as a team and if it came down to a sprint then it came down to a sprint. It split up which we weren’t really expecting but the wind picked up and I was looked after by the lads who got me to the front group.”
“We didn’t really have to ride once we were in the group. I had Bernie Eisel and Flecha there in the final with me to just keep me in position. I wanted to come off Boonen’s wheel but then [Kruopis] from GreenEDGE came over on the right and boxed me in. I had to swing out and I wanted to wait for the headwind finish so left it late and came past Boonen.”
“It’s incredible to win [with the rainbow jersey]. I said I wanted to make the jersey proud. You never really get the season going until you get that first win under your belt. So now it’s there I can hopefully get on a roll now and we can win some things.”
STAGE 3
1  Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling 03:23:48
2  Tom Boonen Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
3  Aidis Kruopis GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
4  Mark Renshaw Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
5  John Degenkolb 1t4i @ same time
6  Tyler Farrar Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
7  Rüdiger Selig Katusha Team @ same time
8  David Boucher Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
9  Robert Wagner RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
10  Aleksandr Kuschynski Katusha Team @ same time
11  Adam Blythe BMC Racing Team @ same time
12  Matthias Friedemann Champion System @ same time
13  Mehdi Sohrabi Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
14  Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling @ same time
15  Baden Cooke GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
16  Philippe Gilbert BMC Racing Team @ same time
17  Guillaume Van Keirsbulck Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:03
18  Gert Steegmans Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
19  Juan Antonio Flecha Sky Procycling @ same time
20  Adam Hansen Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
21  Frederik Willems Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
22  Johan Vansummeren Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
23  Mikhail Ignatyev Katusha Team @ same time
24  Maarten Wynants Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
25  Tony Gallopin RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
26  Robert Hunter Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
27  Thomas Dekker Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
28  Ramunas Navardauskas Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:10
29  Alexandre Lemair Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
30  Maarten Tjallingii Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
31  Mart Ojavee Champion System @ same time
32  Tom Veelers 1t4i @ same time
33  Ramon Sinkeldam 1t4i 00:16
34  Murilo Antonio Fischer Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:19
35  Sebastian Langeveld GreenEdge Cycling Team 00:32
36  Svein Tuft GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
37  Fabian Cancellara RadioShack – Nissan 00:34
38  Nikolas Maes Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:39
39  Gregory Rast RadioShack – Nissan 01:21
40  Christiano Benenati Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 01:29
41  Pier Paolo De Negri Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
42  Robbie Mcewen GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
43  Mickaël Delage Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
44  Gatis Smukulis Katusha Team @ same time
45  Kevin Hulsmans Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
46  Allan Davis GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
47  Dominique Rollin Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
48  Jonas Van Genechten Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
49  Vladimir Isaychev Katusha Team @ same time
50  Matthieu Ladagnous Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
51  Koen De Kort 1t4i @ same time
52  Geoffrey Soupe Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
53  Fumiyuki Beppu GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
54  Miyataka Shimizu Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
55  Aaron Kemps Champion System @ same time
56  Yoann Offredo Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
57  Gabriel Rasch Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
58  Gregory Henderson Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
59  Maciej Bodnar Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
60  Roy Curvers 1t4i @ same time
61  Christian Knees Sky Procycling @ same time
62  Paolo Longho Borghini Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
63  Mauro Da Dalto Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
64  Andrea Guardini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
65  Jos Van Emden Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
66  Alan Marangoni Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
67  Marcel Sieberg Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
68  Arnaud Demare Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
69  Daniel Oss Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
70  Fabio Sabatini Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
71  Luca Ascani Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
72  Danilo Wyss BMC Racing Team @ same time
73  Davide Appollonio Sky Procycling @ same time
74  Peter Sagan Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
75  Martin Kohler BMC Racing Team @ same time
76  Alexander Kristoff Katusha Team @ same time
77  Filippo Pozzato Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
78  Giacomo Nizzolo RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
79  Thomas Bertolini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
80  Jens Debusschere Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
81  Klaas Lodewyck BMC Racing Team @ same time
82  David Mc Cann RTS Racing Team @ same time
83  Michael Schar BMC Racing Team @ same time
84  Francesco Chicchi Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
85  Denis Galimzyanov Katusha Team @ same time
86  Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
87  Albert Timmer 1t4i @ same time
88  Graeme Brown Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
89  Diego Caccia Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
90  Markel Irizar Aranburu RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
91  Alessandro Vanotti Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
92  Tom Leezer Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
93  Michael Barry Sky Procycling @ same time
94  Lars Ytting Bak Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
95  Jack Bauer Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
96  Jens Mouris GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
97  Gorik Gardeyn Champion System @ same time
98  Matthew Brammeier Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
99  Marco Haller Katusha Team @ same time
100  Stijn Vandenbergh Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
101  Joost Posthuma RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
102  Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling @ same time
103  Ian Stannard Sky Procycling @ same time
104  Dominik Klemme 1t4i @ same time
105  Yaroslav Popovych RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
106  Roger Kluge 1t4i @ same time
107  Jacob Rathe Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
108  Jai Crawford RTS Racing Team 10:57
109  Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team @ same time
110  Lee Rodgers RTS Racing Team @ same time
111  Blaise Sonnery Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
112  Alex Coutts RTS Racing Team @ same time
113  Taylor Phinney BMC Racing Team @ same time
114  Dennis Van Winden Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
115  Thor Hushovd BMC Racing Team @ same time
116  Ryota Nishizono  @ same time
117  Klaas Sys Team Bridgestone – Anchor 12:15
118  Wei Kei Chang RTS Racing Team @ same time
119  Hayato Yoshida Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
120  Kazuo Inoue Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
121  Xu Gang Champion System @ same time
122  Pengda Jiao Champion System @ same time
123  Sergey Kudentsov RTS Racing Team @ same time
124  Frantisek Rabon Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
Overall after three stages
1  Tom Boonen Omega Pharma – Quickstep 06:47:49
2  Tyler Farrar Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:06
3  Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling 00:08
4  Johan Vansummeren Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:12
5  Thomas Dekker Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
6  Robert Hunter Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
7  Mikhail Ignatyev Katusha Team 00:17
8  Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling 00:18
9  Rüdiger Selig Katusha Team @ same time
10  Adam Blythe BMC Racing Team 00:19
11  Gert Steegmans Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
12  Guillaume Van Keirsbulck Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
13  Ramunas Navardauskas Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
14  Aidis Kruopis GreenEdge Cycling Team 00:21
15  Aleksandr Kuschynski Katusha Team @ same time
16  Juan Antonio Flecha Sky Procycling @ same time
17  Robert Wagner RadioShack – Nissan 00:23
18  Mark Renshaw Rabobank Cycling Team 00:25
19  Baden Cooke GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
20  Philippe Gilbert BMC Racing Team @ same time
21  Tony Gallopin RadioShack – Nissan 00:26
22  Adam Hansen Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
23  Maarten Wynants Rabobank Cycling Team 00:29
24  Frederik Willems Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
25  David Boucher Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 00:32
26  John Degenkolb 1t4i 00:33
27  Maarten Tjallingii Rabobank Cycling Team 00:36
28  Tom Veelers 1t4i 00:43
29  Ramon Sinkeldam 1t4i 00:49
30  Svein Tuft GreenEdge Cycling Team 00:57
31  Fabian Cancellara RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
32  Sebastian Langeveld GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
33  Matthias Friedemann Champion System 01:12
34  Mart Ojavee Champion System 01:21
35  Alexandre Lemair Team Bridgestone – Anchor 01:29
36  Murilo Antonio Fischer Team Garmin – Barracuda 01:38
37  Davide Appollonio Sky Procycling 01:45
38  Francesco Chicchi Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
39  Marco Haller Katusha Team @ same time
40  Matthew Brammeier Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
41  Gatis Smukulis Katusha Team 01:47
42  Vladimir Isaychev Katusha Team @ same time
43  Peter Sagan Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
44  Alexander Kristoff Katusha Team @ same time
45  Michael Barry Sky Procycling @ same time
46  Christian Knees Sky Procycling @ same time
47  Daniel Oss Liquigas – Cannondale 01:51
48  Fabio Sabatini Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
49  Alan Marangoni Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
50  Maciej Bodnar Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
51  Alessandro Vanotti Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
52  Giacomo Nizzolo RadioShack – Nissan 01:52
53  Markel Irizar Aranburu RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
54  Fumiyuki Beppu GreenEdge Cycling Team 01:54
55  Martin Kohler BMC Racing Team @ same time
56  Jens Mouris GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
57  Klaas Lodewyck BMC Racing Team @ same time
58  Marcel Sieberg Lotto – Belisol Team 01:55
59  Lars Ytting Bak Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
60  Gregory Henderson Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
61  Graeme Brown Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
62  Tom Leezer Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
63  Ian Stannard Sky Procycling 01:58
64  Geoffrey Soupe Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 02:01
65  Dominique Rollin Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
66  Mickaël Delage Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
67  Arnaud Demare Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
68  Gabriel Rasch Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
69  Yoann Offredo Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
70  Matthieu Ladagnous Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
71  Koen De Kort 1t4i 02:02
72  Roger Kluge 1t4i @ same time
73  Albert Timmer 1t4i @ same time
74  Roy Curvers 1t4i 02:04
75  Andrea Guardini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 02:09
76  Luca Ascani Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
77  Filippo Pozzato Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
78  Diego Caccia Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
79  Robbie Mcewen GreenEdge Cycling Team 02:12
80  Mehdi Sohrabi Lotto – Belisol Team 02:16
81  Mauro Da Dalto Liquigas – Cannondale 02:19
82  Jack Bauer Team Garmin – Barracuda 02:22
83  Thomas Bertolini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 02:30
84  Pier Paolo De Negri Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 02:32
85  Aaron Kemps Champion System 02:41
86  Gorik Gardeyn Champion System @ same time
87  Jos Van Emden Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
88  Paolo Longho Borghini Liquigas – Cannondale 02:46
89  Danilo Wyss BMC Racing Team @ same time
90  Michael Schar BMC Racing Team @ same time
91  Miyataka Shimizu Team Bridgestone – Anchor 02:49
92  Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
93  Kevin Hulsmans Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 02:56
94  Allan Davis GreenEdge Cycling Team 02:58
95  Nikolas Maes Omega Pharma – Quickstep 03:03
96  David Mc Cann RTS Racing Team 03:12
97  Jacob Rathe Team Garmin – Barracuda 03:23
98  Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling 03:25
99  Gregory Rast RadioShack – Nissan 03:30
100  Yaroslav Popovych RadioShack – Nissan 03:31
101  Joost Posthuma RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
102  Dominik Klemme 1t4i 03:37
103  Stijn Vandenbergh Omega Pharma – Quickstep 03:47
104  Jonas Van Genechten Lotto – Belisol Team 03:58
105  Christiano Benenati Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 04:17
106  Denis Galimzyanov Katusha Team 04:44
107  Jens Debusschere Lotto – Belisol Team 05:31
108  Thor Hushovd BMC Racing Team 11:22
109  Taylor Phinney BMC Racing Team @ same time
110  Dennis Van Winden Rabobank Cycling Team 11:23
111  Blaise Sonnery Team Bridgestone – Anchor 12:17
112  Frantisek Rabon Omega Pharma – Quickstep 12:31
113  Jai Crawford RTS Racing Team 12:40
114  Alex Coutts RTS Racing Team @ same time
115  Lee Rodgers RTS Racing Team @ same time
116  Kazuo Inoue Team Bridgestone – Anchor 13:35
117  Hayato Yoshida Team Bridgestone – Anchor 14:06
118  Klaas Sys Team Bridgestone – Anchor 14:12
119  Pengda Jiao Champion System 15:09
120  Ryota Nishizono  15:11
121  Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team 15:58
122  Xu Gang Champion System 17:52
123  Wei Kei Chang RTS Racing Team 26:36
124  Sergey Kudentsov RTS Racing Team 26:51