Published January 21, 2002 01:00AM
By VeloNews Interactive Wire Services, Copyright AFP 2002
Ivan Quaranta of Italy picked off the 117km opening stage of the five-day Tour of Qatar in Doha on Monday, winning a sprint finish at the expense of Brazilian Luciano Pagliarini and Jean-Patrick Nazon of France. Quaranta crossed the line in 2:43:44.
Sweden’s Magnus Backstedt led a nine-man escape after 26km and Frenchman Laurent Jalabert also joined the hunt as the leading pack held out until some 8km from the finish.
Quaranta, a junior world track champion a decade ago, then chose his moment to snatch the victory. The Index-Alesia rider has been in good form over the past two seasons with three stage wins in the 2000 Tour de Langkawi and one stage in the same event last year. And Quaranta expects his hard work to continue paying dividends.”During the winter I’ve been working even harder than last year,” he said.
Tuesday’s second stage is a 131km ride from Al Zubarah in the northwest to Doha in the central east of the country.
Copyright AFP 2002
TOUR OF QATAR, Doha, Qatar. January 21-25; 1. Ivan Quaranta (I) Alexia, 117km in 2:43:44 (42.875 kph); 2. Luciano Pagliarini (Bra); 3. Jean-Patrick Nazon (F); 4. Thorsten Wilhelms (G); 5. Miguel Martin Perdiguero (Sp); 6. Christophe Capelle (F); 7. Rudi Kemna (Nl); 8. Damien Nazon (F); 9. Allan Bo Andresen (Dk); 10. Guido Trenti (USA), all same time
Also; 53. Laurent Jalabert (F); 55. Jan Ullrich (G), both same time
Overall standings;1. Quaranta, 2:43:38; 2. Magnus Backstedt (Swi); 3. Pagliarini, at 0:02; 4. Jalabert, at 0:03; 5. Christophe Mengin (F), at 0:03; 6. Nazon, at 0:04; 7. Wilhelms, at 0:06; 8. Perdiguero; 9. Christophe Capelle (F); 10. Rudi Kemna (Nl), all same time
Also; 56. Ullrich, at 0:06