Australian cyclist Mark Renshaw won the Tour of Qatar for his first career road title on Friday.
Renshaw claimed the yellow jersey from countryman Heinrich Haussler by winning Thursday’s fourth stage, then shadowed Haussler to the end of the final 126.5km stage from Sealine Beach Resort into Doha.
Despite Renshaw placing 17th and Haussler ninth, they were credited with the same time as stage winner Andrea Guardini of Italy.
Photo: Reuters
In the end, Renshaw clocked 15 hours, 31 minutes, 4 seconds to win by eight seconds from Haussler, and 17 seconds ahead of third-placed Daniele Bennati of Italy.
“I didn’t think I would win here. I didn’t think that this week would be like this,” the HTC-Highroad rider said. “A lot less wind on the last two days, so that was good for me.”
“This is my first win in general classification, so I am obviously very proud of my week in Qatar. On the road, this is my biggest achievement for sure. I have been lucky enough to represent Australia in the track at the Olympic Games, but on the road this is the best success I have had,” he said.
Photo: AFP
Haussler led Garmin-Cervelo to the team title, but was disappointed to finish second overall after winning the second and third stages.
“I am happy with what I have achieved, but I could have done a little better,” Haussler said. “I was surprised with my form at the beginning as I was doing really well, but in the last two days, I was a bit disappointing. Mark is a top sprinter and he did well, [but] I had chances.”
Three-time winner Tom Boonen of Quick Step, winner of the first stage, was involved in a multi-rider crash before the start, but got up to catch the peloton.
Greg Van Avermaet of BMC and Gediminas Bagdonas of An Post broke away after 10km and led by as much as four minutes, but they were reeled in by the last lap with 6km to go. In the final sprint, Guardini, riding for Farnese Vini, found a gap off the barricades beside Theo Bos and edged Francesco Chicchi of Quick Step. Bos was third. The first 61 riders were timed at 2:44:06.
Many of the riders now move to neighboring Gulf state Oman for the second Tour of Oman, which starts on Tuesday.
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
RSS