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Welcome to Qatar 2013 sees the fifth edition of the Ladies Tour here, and at four days
it’s a day longer than previously. Among the early favourites -- Kirsten Wild, winner
of the first two Tours. Add to the mix 2011 champion Ellen van Dijk, two-times former
world champ Giorgia Bronzini, and Wiggle Honda teammate and team owner Rochelle Gilmore.
We’re not so sure I’ll be the lead rider today, we’ve got some cards to play, so
yeah, it would be an absolute dream for the team but if any rider wins today it would
be equally as satisfying. Rollout from the museum of Islamic Art on Doha’s seafront
took the peloton south - through the town of Al Wakrah, the only incident of any note
when a touch of wheels saw several riders acquaint themselves with the tarmac. From
there it was onto a triangular circuit some sixty kilometres long with a first intermediate
sprint in Mesaieed after thirty five and a half k’s - Wild mopping up the bonus three
seconds on offer, Gilmore taking two, and MCipollini-Giordanna’s Marta Tagliaferro
with a one second bonus. With no attacks to set the pulse racing, at least the roadside
labourers had some light relief But shortly later the stage came alive when a seemingly
innocuous turn to the east blew the bunch to bits, first the lesser were spat out the
back Then news over race radio of a significant split “group of 20 riders looks in trouble
at the back” Giorgia Bronzini had lost touch - she could only watch in vain as her group
haemorrhaged time to a leading bunch of twenty. At the business end of the race - Gilmore,
Van Dijk, Wild, Orica GreenEdge’s Emma Johansson and teammate Gracie Elvin, as well as Aussie
sprinter Chloe Hosking. Those last two got into a late four-rider move with Hosking having
a bit too much in the legs for Elvin, Specialized Lululemon’s Lisa Brennauer was third. We
started to mess around a bit with around 1 k to go, and I was like “Oh no, they’re
going to catch us” but we held it and yeah, I’m really stoked to finally get a win.
I’ve got a few podium places in the past, but never a win. Hosking’s win bought her
a ten second time bonus to add to the couple she took at the second intermediate sprint
behind Johansson. The twenty-two year old was kept busy at the podium - stage winner,
overall race leader, points leader and best young rider. She’s six seconds clear of
her training partner Elvin, Brennauer is third, two seconds further back. But more wind on
Wednesday’s second stage to Al Khor could shake the GC up again.
PHIL SHEEHAN, for the Global Cycling Network, in Qatar