February 11/15 10:25 am - Tour of Qatar: Stage 4 (Men)
Posted by Editoress on 02/11/15
Kristoff doubles in Mesaieed
Stage 4 of the Tour of Qatar ended in a bunch sprint in Mesaieed. As on the second day of the race, Alexander Kristoff showed he was the fastest of the pack, capturing his second win of this 14th edition. The Norwegian beat Sagan and Arndt to the line. Comfortably positioned in the peloton, Niki Terpstra holds onto the overall leader’s Golden Jersey.
The picturesque location of Al Thakhira, just north of the city of Al Khor, welcomed the riders of the Tour of Qatar for the start of stage 4. After their time-trial effort yesterday, the 139 riders including new Golden Jersey Niki Terpstra took off at 11:34 for a 165.5 ride all the way to Messaieed. The wind direction remaining the same as the previous days (south, south-east), it would be a slow stage heading down south.
After 10 kilometres, despite a fast pace, three riders managed to take off: Venter (MTN-Qhubeka), Gruzdev (Astana) and Salomein (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise). Their lead reached 3:40 as team Etixx Quickstep took control of the chase. The first intermediate sprint (km 76.5) was claimed by Salomein ahead of Venter and Gruzdev while the pack remained 3s adrift. The pack kept good control of the escapees and slowly moved closer. The second bonus sprint (km 136.5) was this time won by Gruzdev in front of Salomein and Venter while the gap had dropped down to 1:15.
Eventually, the front three were caught by the pack with 20 kilometres to go. Fighting against the strong head wind all the way to Mesaieed, the peloton remained bunched without the slightest rider attempting a final attack. Time had come for a bunched sprint. Like on the corniche in Al Khor, Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) victoriously powered to the line, beating Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Nikias Arndt (Team Giant-Alpecin). Thanks to his second stage win, the Norwegian takes command of the points classification and will be wearing the Silver Jersey on tomorrow’s penultimate stage.
The overall leader’s Golden Jersey remains on the shoulders of 2014 champion Niki Terpstra, but due to a slight gap in the pack, the Dutchman looses two precious seconds on his closest rival. Indeed in the new GC, Terpstra has a 6s lead over Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff-Saxo) and 12s over Stannard. Great Britain’s Luke Rowe (Team Sky) remains the best young rider and keeps his White Pearl Jersey.
Results from the fourth stage in Qatar
| Stage 4: Al Thakhira to Mesaieed, 165.5km | |
| 1 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | 4:15:57 |
| 2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
| 3 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
| 4 Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 5 Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
| 6 Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling | |
| 7 Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | |
| 8 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
| 9 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Movistar Team | |
| 10 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
| 11 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 12 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
| 13 Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha | |
| 14 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team | all s.t. |
| 15 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | 0:05 |
| 16 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
| 17 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
| 18 Ralf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
| 19 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | |
| 20 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
| 21 Tom Veelers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
| 22 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | |
| 23 Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | |
| 24 Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha | |
| 25 Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | |
| 26 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 27 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
| 28 Mickaël Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
| 29 Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar Team | |
| 30 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-Quick Step | |
| 31 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | |
| 32 Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
| 33 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
| 34 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team | |
| 35 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
| 36 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 37 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 38 Pieter Van Speybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
| 39 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha | |
| 40 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx-Quick Step | |
| 41 Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
| 42 Mario Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | |
| 43 Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
| 44 Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team | |
| 45 Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
| 46 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
| 47 Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
| 48 Pablo Lastras (Esp) Movistar Team | |
| 49 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
| 50 Sven Erik Byström (Nor) Team Katusha | |
| 51 Kristan Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-Qhubeka | |
| 52 Andrea Piechele (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
| 53 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
| 54 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
| 55 Enrique Sanz Unzue (Esp) Movistar Team | |
| 56 Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
| 57 Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling | |
| 58 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | |
| 59 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky | |
| 60 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 61 Ruben Plaza Molina (Esp) Lampre - Merida | |
| 62 Gregory Rast (Sui) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 63 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Lampre - Merida | |
| 64 Jasha Sutterlin (Ger) Movistar Team | |
| 65 Imanol Erviti (Esp) Movistar Team | |
| 66 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | |
| 67 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN-Qhubeka | |
| 68 Théo Bos (Ned) MTN-Qhubeka | |
| 69 Vicente Reynes (Esp) IAM Cycling | all s.t. |
| 70 Jef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 0:17 |
| 71 Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN-Qhubeka | |
| 72 Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha | |
| 73 Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | |
| 74 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
| 75 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 76 Markel Irizar (Esp) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 77 Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
| 78 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
| 79 Nicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
| 80 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
| 81 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky | |
| 82 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Bora-Argon 18 | |
| 83 Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
| 84 Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
| 85 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | all s.t. |
| 86 Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:28 |
| 87 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha | 0:33 |
| 88 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team | |
| 89 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 90 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 91 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | all s.t. |
| 92 Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) IAM Cycling | 0:37 |
| 93 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | 0:43 |
| 94 Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | s.t. |
| 95 Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:50 |
| 96 Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:56 |
| 97 Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.fr | |
| 98 David Boucher (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
| 99 William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr | all s.t. |
| 100 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | 1:06 |
| 101 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | 1:10 |
| 102 Ariel Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Lampre - Merida | 1:23 |
| 103 Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18 | 1:33 |
| 104 Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | s.t. |
| 105 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | 1:50 |
| 106 Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | s.t. |
| 107 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | 2:13 |
| 108 Francisco Ventoso (Esp) Movistar Team | |
| 109 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka | |
| 110 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | |
| 111 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
| 112 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx-Quick Step | |
| 113 Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 114 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team | |
| 115 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory Racing | |
| 116 Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team | |
| 117 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | |
| 118 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18 | |
| 119 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
| 120 Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
| 121 Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | |
| 122 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
| 123 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEDGE | |
| 124 Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling | |
| 125 Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling | all s.t. |
| 126 Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 4:01 |
| 127 Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky | s.t. |
| 128 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 4:12 |
| 129 Reto Hollenstein (Sui) IAM Cycling | |
| 130 Marcel Aregger (Sui) IAM Cycling | |
| 131 Daniel Schorn (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | |
| 132 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
| 133 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 134 Steve Chainel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
| 135 Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ.fr | |
| 136 Simone Sterbini (Ita) Bardiani CSF | |
| 137 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | |
| 138 Jaco Venter (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | all s.t. |
| 139 Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | 4:49 |
| GC | |
| 1 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx-Quick Step | 12:09:44 |
| 2 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo | at 0:06 |
| 3 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | 0:12 |
| 4 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 0:19 |
| 5 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha | 0:21 |
| 6 Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | 0:33 |
| 7 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo | 0:37 |
| 8 Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling | 0:39 |
| 9 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team | 0:41 |
| 10 Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | 0:42 |
| 11 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | 0:54 |
| 12 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | 0:55 |
| 13 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | 0:59 |
| 14 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 1:04 |
| 15 Ralf Matzka (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 1:07 |
| 16 Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling | 1:11 |
| 17 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx-Quick Step | 1:12 |
| 18 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | 1:19 |
| 19 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | 1:23 |
| 20 Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | 1:24 |
| 21 Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 1:27 |
| 22 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 1:31 |
| 23 Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha | 1:34 |
| 24 Adam Blythe (GBr) Orica GreenEDGE | 1:34 |
| 25 Tom Veelers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 1:39 |
| 26 Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.fr | 1:40 |
| 27 Sven Erik Byström (Nor) Team Katusha | 1:41 |
| 28 Mickaël Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr | 1:49 |
| 29 Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha | 2:12 |
| 30 Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 2:19 |
| 31 Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | 2:30 |
| 32 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | 3:20 |
| 33 Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar Team | 3:48 |
| 34 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEDGE | 3:51 |
| 35 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | 3:58 |
| 36 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | 4:03 |
| 37 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr | 4:06 |
| 38 Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | 4:07 |
| 39 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | 4:07 |
| 40 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Movistar Team | 4:41 |
| 41 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team | 4:44 |
| 42 Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 4:45 |
| 43 Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team | 4:52 |
| 44 Matti Breschel (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | 4:52 |
| 45 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 5:00 |
| 46 Pieter Van Speybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 5:00 |
| 47 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 5:06 |
| 48 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | 5:11 |
| 49 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | 5:15 |
| 50 Vicente Reynes (Esp) IAM Cycling | 5:22 |
| 51 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 5:23 |
| 52 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | 5:36 |
| 53 Murilo Antonio Fischer (Bra) FDJ.fr | 5:43 |
| 54 Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | 5:47 |
| 55 Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | 5:51 |
| 56 Daniel Schorn (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | 6:09 |
| 57 Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 6:56 |
| 58 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18 | 6:57 |
| 59 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha | 8:12 |
| 60 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr | 8:12 |
| 61 Marco Haller (Aut) Team Katusha | 8:17 |
| 62 Markel Irizar (Esp) Trek Factory Racing | 8:27 |
| 63 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha | 8:51 |
| 64 Théo Bos (Ned) MTN-Qhubeka | 8:51 |
| 65 Imanol Erviti (Esp) Movistar Team | 8:58 |
| 66 William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr | 9:20 |
| 67 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Lampre - Merida | 9:40 |
| 68 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Trek Factory Racing | 9:40 |
| 69 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Bora-Argon 18 | 9:57 |
| 70 Enrique Sanz Unzue (Esp) Movistar Team | 9:59 |
| 71 Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | 10:00 |
| 72 Ruben Plaza Molina (Esp) Lampre - Merida | 10:02 |
| 73 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN-Qhubeka | 10:06 |
| 74 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | 10:08 |
| 75 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky | 10:14 |
| 76 Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team | 10:36 |
| 77 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 10:38 |
| 78 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | 11:01 |
| 79 Jasha Sutterlin (Ger) Movistar Team | 11:01 |
| 80 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team | 11:03 |
| 81 Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 11:05 |
| 82 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 11:09 |
| 83 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 11:10 |
| 84 Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team | 11:17 |
| 85 Francisco Ventoso (Esp) Movistar Team | 11:24 |
| 86 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEDGE | 11:32 |
| 87 Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN-Qhubeka | 11:36 |
| 88 Pablo Lastras (Esp) Movistar Team | 11:42 |
| 89 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 11:43 |
| 90 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky | 11:44 |
| 91 Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 11:45 |
| 92 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | 11:56 |
| 93 Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin | 12:05 |
| 94 Mario Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | 12:18 |
| 95 Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling | 12:19 |
| 96 Marcel Aregger (Sui) IAM Cycling | 12:39 |
| 97 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | 12:45 |
| 98 Reto Hollenstein (Sui) IAM Cycling | 12:45 |
| 99 Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 12:54 |
| 100 Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) IAM Cycling | 12:55 |
| 101 Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx-Quick Step | 12:56 |
| 102 Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 13:07 |
| 103 Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 13:12 |
| 104 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | 13:25 |
| 105 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEDGE | 13:26 |
| 106 Nicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 14:00 |
| 107 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka | 14:14 |
| 108 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 14:14 |
| 109 Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 14:27 |
| 110 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Trek Factory Racing | 14:35 |
| 111 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | 14:37 |
| 112 Florian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 15:00 |
| 113 Gregory Rast (Sui) Trek Factory Racing | 15:00 |
| 114 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx-Quick Step | 15:17 |
| 115 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 15:22 |
| 116 Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky | 17:03 |
| 117 Johann Van Zyl (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | 17:28 |
| 118 Jaco Venter (RSA) MTN-Qhubeka | 18:36 |
| 119 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 18:40 |
| 120 Ariel Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Lampre - Merida | 21:06 |
| 121 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 22:22 |
| 122 Steve Chainel (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 22:47 |
| 123 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 26:02 |
| 124 Jef Van Meirhaeghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 26:09 |
| 125 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise | 26:22 |
| 126 Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team | 26:28 |
| 127 Kristan Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-Qhubeka | 26:35 |
| 128 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team | 26:38 |
| 129 Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling | 27:51 |
| 130 Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Argon 18 | 27:53 |
| 131 Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | 28:32 |
| 132 Andrea Piechele (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 28:46 |
| 133 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek Factory Racing | 29:01 |
| 134 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 29:04 |
| 135 David Boucher (Fra) FDJ.fr | 29:32 |
| 136 Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ.fr | 30:06 |
| 137 Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 31:39 |
| 138 Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEDGE | 33:34 |
| 139 Simone Sterbini (Ita) Bardiani CSF | 34:06/td> |
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