Team NetApp-Endura makes its debut at the Tour of Qatar
The stage race in the Persian Gulf region covers a total of around 733 kilometers spread over six stages. The longest stage is 160 km, which is relatively short when compared with a standard stage length of approximately 200 km. The biggest race in the region starts this coming Sunday and will be taking place mainly in the desert in and around the capital city Doha.
Characteristic of this tour is the flat nature of the stages, which as a rule do not go higher than ten meters above sea level. As such, this tour is ideal for sprint specialists who will decide the race among themselves. However, the strong wind and desert sand are key factors too.
“In terms of character, the stages are all very similar. They are flat with the result that the wind will play a major role. In recent years, there were mainly sprint finishes and we are ideally prepared for this. The burden on riders at the Tour of Qatar is enormous as the constant side wind means that high speeds are ridden on an ongoing basis. And anyone counting on a chance of victory must always ride very attentive,” comments Enrico Poitschke, Sport Director at Team NetApp-Endura.
“Apart from the natural conditions, which without doubt represent a particular challenge, the top-class nature of the riders participating should also be mentioned. Of the total of 17 teams invited, 13 of them ride on the WorldTour. We are delighted to have been given one of the few wild cards and to be able to test our strength in this first-class field right at the start of the season,” Poitschke continues.
Enrico Poitschke will be paying particular attention to the second stage, the team time trial: “Team time trials suit us well, a fact we have proven on several occasions. We will therefore do all we can to finish in a good position. At our training camp, we have just completed further intensive training in this discipline and now we can see where we stand in a race situation,” Enrico Poitschke explains.
Line-Up: Zak Dempster, Russell Downing, Markus Eichler, Blaz Jarc, Roger Kluge, Andreas Schillinger, Daniel Schorn, Paul Voss
1 Stage: Katara Cultural Village – Dukhan Beach - 145,2 km
2 Stage: Al Rufaa Street – Al Rufaa Street (TTT) - 14 km
3 Stage: Al Wakra – Mesaieed - 143 km
4 Stage: Camel Race Track – Al Khor Corniche - 160 km
5 Stage: Al Zubara Fort – Madinat Al Shamal - 154 km
6 Stage: Sealine Beach Resort – Doha Corniche - 116 km