Bronzini takes Qatar lead after wind-shortened stage

Italy’s Giorgia Bronzini improved on her second place in stage 1 by winning the second stage and taking the overall lead of the Ladies Tour of Qatar on Thursday.

It was Bronzini’s third career stage win in Qatar. This time it came on a windy day that culminated in a furious sprint up a long, wide straight into the Oryx Farm animal park in central Qatar.

The wind was so strong early Thursday that race organizers shortened the stage from 107 to 86km. Many riders struggled to stay in the pack as it battled the crosswinds; 60 riders (from 85 starters) were in the bunch when it hit the first intermediate sprint, which was won by defending Qatar champ Kirsten Wild (Cervelo TestTeam).

After the first hour, the route turned directly into the wind and the pace slowed.  At the 50km mark, the first real breakaway occurred when Belgian Latoya Brulee (RedSun) took off. Eight kilometers later she was caught and dropped by American Liz Hatch (Lotto). Hatch continued her solo effort, enjoying a maximum 1:45 lead over the pack at one point, but was caught at the 69km mark.

From then on, the Cervelo and the Dutch national team took control of the pack. The second intermediate sprint at km 70 was claimed by Wild. With just under 4 kilometers to go, Cervelo’s Charlotte Becker, Australia’s Kirsty Broun and HTC-Columbia’s Noemi Cantele gave it a go.

The three escapees were finally gobbled up by the pack at the final kilometer, when Bronzini took the sprint ahead of Rochelle Gilmore (Lotto) and Martine Bras (Netherlands).

Thanks to time bonus seconds, Bronzini took over the leader’s jersey from stage 1 winner Rasa Lelivyte, who moved down to third but still leads the best young rider competition. Wild is now second.

American team manager Manel LaCambra said the team raced much better on Thursday than on stage 1. “Shelly (Olds) was involved in one of the crashes but she is fine,” LaCambra said. “(Katharine) Carroll was trying to surprise the group with one attack 5km from the finish line and in the final Lauren (Tamayo) was fifth in the sprint. We have still some problems because of the injuries, but tomorrow we will try to make a good race again.”

The race’s third and final stage is Friday, a 94km route up the coast from the Sealine Beach Resort into Doha. The men’s Tour of Qatar starts Sunday.

FILED UNDER: News / Race Report / Road TAGS: Ladies Tour of Qatar