ARCHIVES
- December 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
Credit: TDWsport.com
CAVENDISH POISED FOR SPRINT ACTION IN QATAR
January 28, 2009
Sprint star Mark Cavendish’s 2009 season will get underway in the Tour of Qatar next Sunday – and he can’t wait to get started.
“It’s been quite a while since I raced [in the Tour of Missouri last September, where he won three stages],” Cavendish said. “I’m in good shape, I’ve had a good winter and I’m feeling excited about the new season.”
“On paper Qatar is favourable for the sprinters, but the roads are really exposed and you’ve got to watch out for crosswinds,” he said.
“Before you know it, the bunch can have split into 15 different groups.”
Cavendish has no doubt, though, that he’ll be well protected in the build-ups to the sprints in Qatar.
“We’ve got some of our top time triallists coming out there, guys who know how to keep up a high pace in the final kilometres of each stage, so we should be able to create a great ‘train’ for the sprint.”
Columbia-Highroad’s lead-out man for Cavendish in the Tour of Qatar will be New Zealander Greg Henderson. Henderson himself won two bunch sprint stages of Tour of Georgia for Columbia-Highroad back in 2008.
“[Team-mate and new signing] Mark Renshaw will have that role [of lead-out man] sometimes in 2009,” Cavendish added. “But Mark’s just come out of racing the Tour Down Under and we didn’t want him to take on Qatar as well before doing the Tour of California, which is one of our team’s biggest goals for 2009.”
Columbia-Highroad is sending teams to both the men’s and the women’s Tour of Qatar. The men’s race runs from February 1st - 6th, and the women’s race from February 8th - 10th.
“It’s been quite a while since I raced [in the Tour of Missouri last September, where he won three stages],” Cavendish said. “I’m in good shape, I’ve had a good winter and I’m feeling excited about the new season.”
“On paper Qatar is favourable for the sprinters, but the roads are really exposed and you’ve got to watch out for crosswinds,” he said.
“Before you know it, the bunch can have split into 15 different groups.”
Cavendish has no doubt, though, that he’ll be well protected in the build-ups to the sprints in Qatar.
“We’ve got some of our top time triallists coming out there, guys who know how to keep up a high pace in the final kilometres of each stage, so we should be able to create a great ‘train’ for the sprint.”
Columbia-Highroad’s lead-out man for Cavendish in the Tour of Qatar will be New Zealander Greg Henderson. Henderson himself won two bunch sprint stages of Tour of Georgia for Columbia-Highroad back in 2008.
“[Team-mate and new signing] Mark Renshaw will have that role [of lead-out man] sometimes in 2009,” Cavendish added. “But Mark’s just come out of racing the Tour Down Under and we didn’t want him to take on Qatar as well before doing the Tour of California, which is one of our team’s biggest goals for 2009.”
Columbia-Highroad is sending teams to both the men’s and the women’s Tour of Qatar. The men’s race runs from February 1st - 6th, and the women’s race from February 8th - 10th.
