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Tribune News Network
Doha
Abdullah Al Jaaidi of Team Doha Cycling won the third stage of Qatar Cycling Federation’s road races on Friday to emerge as one of the favourites for the National Championship title. It was his third podium finish this season and his first time on the top step.
A record number of 155 riders took to the start line for Qatar Cycling Federation’s third road race of the season where public appetite for outdoor sport has increased.
There has been such a growth in the sport of cycling that organisers had to add an additional novice class to the event to accommodate new riders. The Al Ghuwayriyah cycling course wits its rural setting and interesting triangular multi-lap course is favourite among racers and offers sections of just five to six kilometres apiece of headwind, cross-wind and tail wind, each of which contributes to the tactics of bunch racing.
With the first section into the head wind, Khaleel Abduljanan (Team Doha Cycling) and Abdulla Al Khater attacked right from the start, taking a gamble that nobody would waste energy giving chase. This pair built a good lead of 1m 30s while behind them the Team Al Jassra combination of Lee Jones and Chris Murrin were putting in repeated surges which fractured the race. By the time the catch was made at 30 km, six riders had already been dropped and, with the wind strength increasing, the remaining riders would now split in half again.
The final six of the ninety kilometers were wind-assisted, which strips away some of the advantage to the sheltered riders drafting off those in front. Team Doha Cycling launched a long-range attack at 60 kph and again it was Team Al Jassra chasing them down.
This time Lee Jones did all the work to save Chris Murrin’s legs for the sprint to the line, but to no avail. Abdullah Aljaaidi (Team Doha Cycling) has shown strong form both on and off-road this season and it was he who snatched victory over Murrin and teammate Mouhcine Rhaili with Hamad Al Jaaidi (Team Doha Cycling) and Fadhel Al Khater (Rasen Adventure Shop) edged out from the podium.
This was to be Abdullah Al Jaaidi’s third road podium of the season and his first time on the top step. With no other Qatari rider challenging him this year, he is now a strong favourite for the national championships at the end of the month.
Results:
Men A: 1 Abdullah Al Jaaidi (Team Doha Cycling QAT); 2 Chris Murin (Team Al Jassra GBR); 3 Mouhcine Rhaili (Team Doha Cycling MAR); Women A: 1 Elizabeth Dunne (Team Al Jassra IRL); 2 Sophie Clarke (Rasen Adventure Shop GBR); Men B: 1 Khalid Al Yafei (Team Doha Cycling QAT); 2 Rafael Tamarit (Los Gauchos ESP); 3 Jose Figueiredo (Team Doha Cycling POR); Men C: 1 Mohsen Jafar (Team Doha Cycling IRI); 2 Khalifa Al Khulaifi (Team Doha Cycling QAT); 3 Phil Angelo Ganitano (Bike to Work Qatar PHI); Women B: 1 Daniela Sposi (Rasen Adventure Shop ITA); 2 Isobel Bushell (Team Doha Cycling GBR); 3 Mamiya Ajero (BPMQ PHI); Novice: 1 Jonnie Christian Engracia (BPMQ PHI); 2 Julius Borromeo (Team Doha Cycling PHI); 3 Nik Mohd Najib Nik Wan (Team Farhana MAS).
Doha
Abdullah Al Jaaidi of Team Doha Cycling won the third stage of Qatar Cycling Federation’s road races on Friday to emerge as one of the favourites for the National Championship title. It was his third podium finish this season and his first time on the top step.
A record number of 155 riders took to the start line for Qatar Cycling Federation’s third road race of the season where public appetite for outdoor sport has increased.
There has been such a growth in the sport of cycling that organisers had to add an additional novice class to the event to accommodate new riders. The Al Ghuwayriyah cycling course wits its rural setting and interesting triangular multi-lap course is favourite among racers and offers sections of just five to six kilometres apiece of headwind, cross-wind and tail wind, each of which contributes to the tactics of bunch racing.
With the first section into the head wind, Khaleel Abduljanan (Team Doha Cycling) and Abdulla Al Khater attacked right from the start, taking a gamble that nobody would waste energy giving chase. This pair built a good lead of 1m 30s while behind them the Team Al Jassra combination of Lee Jones and Chris Murrin were putting in repeated surges which fractured the race. By the time the catch was made at 30 km, six riders had already been dropped and, with the wind strength increasing, the remaining riders would now split in half again.
The final six of the ninety kilometers were wind-assisted, which strips away some of the advantage to the sheltered riders drafting off those in front. Team Doha Cycling launched a long-range attack at 60 kph and again it was Team Al Jassra chasing them down.
This time Lee Jones did all the work to save Chris Murrin’s legs for the sprint to the line, but to no avail. Abdullah Aljaaidi (Team Doha Cycling) has shown strong form both on and off-road this season and it was he who snatched victory over Murrin and teammate Mouhcine Rhaili with Hamad Al Jaaidi (Team Doha Cycling) and Fadhel Al Khater (Rasen Adventure Shop) edged out from the podium.
This was to be Abdullah Al Jaaidi’s third road podium of the season and his first time on the top step. With no other Qatari rider challenging him this year, he is now a strong favourite for the national championships at the end of the month.
Results:
Men A: 1 Abdullah Al Jaaidi (Team Doha Cycling QAT); 2 Chris Murin (Team Al Jassra GBR); 3 Mouhcine Rhaili (Team Doha Cycling MAR); Women A: 1 Elizabeth Dunne (Team Al Jassra IRL); 2 Sophie Clarke (Rasen Adventure Shop GBR); Men B: 1 Khalid Al Yafei (Team Doha Cycling QAT); 2 Rafael Tamarit (Los Gauchos ESP); 3 Jose Figueiredo (Team Doha Cycling POR); Men C: 1 Mohsen Jafar (Team Doha Cycling IRI); 2 Khalifa Al Khulaifi (Team Doha Cycling QAT); 3 Phil Angelo Ganitano (Bike to Work Qatar PHI); Women B: 1 Daniela Sposi (Rasen Adventure Shop ITA); 2 Isobel Bushell (Team Doha Cycling GBR); 3 Mamiya Ajero (BPMQ PHI); Novice: 1 Jonnie Christian Engracia (BPMQ PHI); 2 Julius Borromeo (Team Doha Cycling PHI); 3 Nik Mohd Najib Nik Wan (Team Farhana MAS).
