Fifteen teams set to contest Ladies Tour of Qatar

The Ladies Tour of Qatar will be holding its seventh edition this year from February 3-6. Although defending four-time champion Kirsten Wild (Hitec Products) won’t make the trip to Doha in early February, Amy Pieters (Liv-Plantur) and Chloe Hosking (Wiggle-Honda) — second and third place last year, respectively — will be on hand.

With one year to go before the world road championships come to Qatar for the first time, 90 riders (15 teams of 6) will be present at the tour. Although Wild will not be riding in the event this year, many talented riders will be competing to become this year’s queen of the desert.

The UCI World Cup winner and gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games last year, Lizzie Armitstead, as well as Ellen Van Dijk, who won the Ladies Tour of Qatar in 2011, will lead the Boels-Dolmans team.

The Wiggle-Honda team will be led by Italian sprinter and two-time world champion, Giorgia Bronzini, along with Hosking.

Orica-AIS, which was the best team in the Ladies Tour last year, boasts Emma Johansson, world number one in 2013. Orica will also bring Valentina Scandolara, who is on form after winning the 2015 Santos Women’s Tour in January.

World time trial champion Lisa Brennauer will also race in Qatar, along with her newly-formed Velocio-SRAM team.

Ladies Tour of Qatar (February 3-6)

Stage 1: Museaum of Islamic Art – Dukhan Beach (98.5km)
Stage 2: Al Zubarah Fort – Madinat Al Shamal (112.5km)
Stage 3: Souq Waqif – Ah Khor Corniche (93.5km)
Stage 4: Sealine Beach Resort – Doha Corniche (85km)