Cavendish wins stage 4 of the 2013 Tour of Qatar
Former world champion takes another chaotic sprint
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Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) won stage 4 of the Tour of Qatar on Wednesday, taking his second bunch sprint in as many days.
Barry Markus (Vacansoleil-DCM) was second in Al Khor Corniche and Andrea Guardini (Astana) third.
“Niki Terpstra found me with a kilometer to go and moved me into the top 15, and I used the same tactics I did last year when I won on the same stage,” said Cavendish. “The wind came from the right, everyone goes right, so I went left, and was shielded. So, I got the perfect position and acceleration in the sprint to get the win.”
The win netted the former world champion a 10-second time bonus, moving him into the overall race lead. Overnight leader Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing) is now second, at two seconds, with teammate Taylor Phinney third, at eight seconds.
“I think tomorrow is the main stage of the Tour of Qatar,” Cavendish said. “We will see what happens, and then Friday is the last day, but we’ll keep going for the stage wins and see what comes from that. I am really, really happy right now. Three wins already, shows me, and shows Patrick Lefevere, that I made the right move to Omega Pharma-Quick Step.”
The Tour of Qatar continues Thursday with the 154km fifth stage from Al Zubara Fort to Madinat Al Shamal.