All change at Tour of Qatar as race hots up

• Monday, 8 February 2010
• Cycling Weekly, photos by Graham Watson
• 0 Comments

Geert Steurs wins stage, Tour of Qatar 2010, stage 2

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Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaander) won the second stage in Qatar after the race exploded in the crosswinds that shape this race every year.

Steurs and Wouter Mol (Vacansoliel) made their move early on, before the bunch hit the winds and splintered in to small groups riding in echelons across the road.

The chasing group contained last year's winner Tom Boonen and Tyler Farrar who was the best placed of the sprinters to take over Boasson Hagen slender lead.

The chase went all the way to the line as Boonen's group continuously shed riders as Cervelo did their best to send riders up the road. The Swiss based team had Britons Roger Hammond and Jeremy Hunt along with Heinrich Haussler in the lead group, no doubt proving a point after given a penalty in yesterday's stage

In the end the chasing groups couldn't pull back the two riders, or stop Mol from taking the overall lead.

Team Sky were the big losers today. Ian Stannard was the best placed, finishing in what was the third main group on the road. Boasson Hagen was in the group behind him with only one team mate for company.

The British team, who won the team time trial yesterday, also lost Kurt Asle Arvesen after the Norwegian champion crashed and broke his collarbone.

Tour of Qatar, stage two: 147km
1. Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator 3-31-00     
2. Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil          
3. Roger Kluge (Ger) Milram at 1-51     
4. Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam at 1-54     
5. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at 1 -55     
6. Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam          
7. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step          
8. Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam          
9. Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha          
10. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC

General Classification after stage two
1. Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil 3-40-51     
2. Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator at 0-09    
3. Roger Kluge (Ger) Milram at 2-02     
4. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step at 2-05     
5. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC at 2-06     
6. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at 2-18     
7. Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha          
8. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Saxo Bank at 2-40     
9. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions at 2-41     
10. Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step at 2-47   

Wouter Mol (Vacansoliel) steals the race lead from Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky)

Tour of Qatar 2010: Coverage
Stage one TTT report

Tour of Qatar 2010: Photo galleries
Stage one photo gallery

Related links
Arvesen suffers collarbone break in Qatar
Bradley Wiggins set to make Team Sky debut at 2010 Tour of Qatar
2009 Tour of Qatar photo gallery
2010 UCI World Calendar: ProTour and Historic races
Cycling Weekly: Rider Profiles index