Tour of Qatar Preview

The 2011 edition of the Tour of Qatar again boasts a strong field in both sprinting and otherwise. Every one of these stages should end in a sprint because they are flat as a pancake, but the strong crosswinds might suggest a different outcome.

So what about that wind?

Yes, the wind has become the defining characteristic of the Tour of Qatar over the years. I can't tell you why it's always windy in the deserts of Qatar, but the effect of these strong crosswinds on the peloton is unmistakable. All riders hate crosswinds for obvious reasons, but it especially takes its toll on the sprinters so that can potentially open the door for the rest of the field. But the strangest thing about wind...it's unpredictable. Nobody really knows how strong or how much of an effect the wind will have on the race but I'm sure it will be accounted for.

Cav/Renshaw Start the Season

Cav obviously wasn't on form a few weeks ago in the TDU but things should be different this time. He usually starts his season about this time and he will also have his #1 leadout man Mark Renshaw to help him along the way. But the biggest clue that he is feeling pretty good...HTC-Highroad did not bring any other sprinters. They did bring a very strong group of peloton riders to chase down any potential breakaways.

Boonen Goes for Another

With 3 overall wins, 3 other podium finishes, and countless stages it's a safe bet to say that Tom Boonen has owned the Tour of Qatar over the last few years. He claims to be feeling 100% after last year's knee problems and he said he is really looking forward to going to Qatar this year. Tom Boonen on his best is a force even Cav should reckon with, and should also set up for a few interesting battles throughout the week.

Sky Storm

Sky may have the strongest and most well balanced lineup at this year's race. While Eddy Boasson-Hagen opted to start his season in Oman rather than Qatar, they still have plenty of horses to compete. Bradley Wiggins is obviously a threat in the opening TT, but they may have an even bigger threat. 22 year old Brit Alex Dowsett is a time trial beast (to put it casually) and may want to fling himself onto the world's cycling headlines with a strong performance in Qatar.

And Speaking of Time Trials...

Oh yeah, there's that Fabian Cancellara guy. I don't have to say anything further about his abilities in the individual battle but he is also a strong rider in the classics and could even be considered a contender for the whole GC. His Leopard-Trek team is hungry for some fame, and they are willing to work to get some.

And Some Other Sprinters.

The likes of Heinrich Haussler, Grega Bole, and Graeme Brown should make the stages more than just a 2 horse race between Cav and Boonen. Haussler, in particular, rides for a strong sprint team in Garmin-Cervelo and they should be right alongside HTC on the run into the finish.

Speaking of Garmin...

There's Jack Bobridge. Fresh off breaking Chris Boardman's "unbreakable" record in the 4km individual pursuit and a strong performance in the Tour Down Under, Bobridge will again put his skills to the test on the flats of Qatar. Or maybe he wont... But it's worth keeping an eye on him as a potential breakaway candidate.

Other Guys to Watch.

Here are some other names to watch:

-Filippo Pozzato
-Marcus Burghardt
-Danilo Hondo
-Lars Boom
-Wesley Sulzberger
-Sandy Casar

1st stage is a short TT prologue. Wake up early if you live in the states, as versus will be covering the event live.