Great day for the Brits with a win for Andy Fenn on day in the Challenge Majorca and Adam Blythe 2nd in Qatar!
After coming close to stage wins in the Tour of Britain in 2011 riding for AN Post/Dolan bikes, Andy Fenn made the big step up to winning ways in the first stage of the Challenge Majorca and in Qatar, Adam Blythe (BMC) was second behind former World Champion Tom Boonen in Qatar.
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In Majorca, it was Andy Fenn who climbed onto the top step of the podium winning the sprint into Palma after 116 kilometres beating some top names such as Daniele Bennati. After some great weather in recent weeks, the roads were icy and snowy at the start but as the day went on, the temperatures warmed up and the race was settled in the expected bunch kick.
Andy Fenn’s first pro win! Photo Credit:Â hr/PhotoSport International uk usa asia
“I’m ecstatic,” said Fenn. “I’ve been dreaming of a victory like this. The team did some extraordinary work. In the last 3 laps we took charge of the race. In the final, Matteo Trentin carried me really well and I managed to win. It’s my first success as a pro; the joy is indescribable. I can’t wait to share it with my team mates this evening.”
The event was Endura Racing’s first hit out after their training camp and they had Zak Dempster finish in 9th place and Alex Blain 14th, one place behind Luke Rowe, making his debut in the pro ranks. Zak Dempster said on the team’s website afterwards “Today was pretty good, I think we have the horse power to do even better tomorrow. We had a plan and it came together pretty well but if we can find each other in last kilometres then we’ll be close.”
“A flat stage like that of only 116km and no climbs; there’s alot of guys throwing their weight around. Tomorrow has a few lumps and is longer (distance) so it should be bit easier to manoeuvre as a team with not every single man and his dog there in the last 5km! Everyone’s looking forward to it.” Read more here
Palma Trophy
1.  Andrew Fenn Omega Pharma – Quickstep 02:23:53
2.  Andre Schulze Team NetApp @ st
3.  Alexander Porsev Katusha Team @ st
4.  Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso Caja Rural @ st
5.  Daniele Bennati RadioShack – Nissan @ st
6.  Remco Te Brake Cycling Team De Rijke @ st
7.  Matti Breschel Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
8.  Alexey Tsatevitch Katusha Team @ st
9.  Zakkari Dempster Endura Racing @ st
10.  Matteo Pelucchi Europcar @ st
11.  Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil Movistar Team @ st
12.  Kenny Dehaes Lotto – Belisol Team @ st
13.  Luke Rowe Sky Procycling @ st
14.  Alexandre Blain Endura Racing @ st
15.  Michal Kwiatkowski Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ st
16.  Michael Matthews Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
17.  Edwig Cammaerts Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ st
18.  Saïd Haddou Europcar @ st
19.  Jonas Aaen Jorgensen Team Saxo Bank @ st
20.  Francisco Manuel Anton Martin Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
21.  Tosh Van Der Sande Lotto – Belisol Team @ st
22.  Gaetan Bille Lotto – Belisol Team @ st
23.  Maarten Neyens Lotto – Belisol Team @ st
24.  José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios Movistar Team @ st
25.  Sebastian Körber Team Nutrixxion Sparkasse @ st
26.  Jose Luis Cano Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
27.  Ruben Jimenez Ventosa Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
28.  Dylan Groenewegen Cycling Team De Rijke @ st
29.  Aitor Galdos Alonso Caja Rural @ st
30.  Tom Vermeer Team Nutrixxion Sparkasse @ st
31.  Angel Ruiz Madrazo Movistar Team @ st
32.  Vicente Reynes Mimo Lotto – Belisol Team @ st
33.  Jonathan Cantwell Team Saxo Bank @ st
34.  Pablo Urtasun Perez Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
35.  Christoph Schweizer Team Nutrixxion Sparkasse @ st
36.  Jeremie Galland Saur – Sojasun @ st
37.  Cyril Lemoine Saur – Sojasun @ st
38.  Mats Boeve Cycling Team De Rijke @ st
39.  Christoph Pfingsten Cycling Team De Rijke @ st
40.  Theo Bos Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
41.  Bjorn Thurau Europcar @ st
42.  Michael Schweizer Team Nutrixxion Sparkasse @ st
43.  Kanstantsin Siutsou Sky Procycling @ st
44.  Alexander Wetterhal Endura Racing @ st
45.  Carlos Barbero Orbea – Oreka SDA @ st
46.  Illart Zuazubiskar Orbea – Oreka SDA @ st
47.  Ran Margaliot Team Saxo Bank @ st
48.  Julien Fouchard Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ st
49.  Fabricio Ferrari Caja Rural @ st
50.  Salvatore Puccio Sky Procycling @ st
51.  Ruben Perez Moreno Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
52.  David Lopez Garcia Movistar Team @ st
53.  Luis Angel Mate Mardones Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ st
54.  Javier Quesada Chacon Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
55.  Jose Vicente Toribio Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
56.  Daniel Schorn Team NetApp @ st
57.  Dries Devenyns Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:08
58.  Sjoerd Kouwenhoven Cycling Team De Rijke @ st
59.  Pablo Torres Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
60.  Sergio Carrasco Garcia Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
61.  Iker Camano Ortuzar Endura Racing @ st
62.  Alex Dowsett Sky Procycling @ st
63.  Jose Luis Carmona Roldan Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
64.  Dirk Muller Team Nutrixxion Sparkasse @ st
65.  Garikoitz Bravo Caja Rural @ st
66.  Pavel Brutt Katusha Team @ st
67.  Xabier Zandio Echaide Sky Procycling @ st
68.  Gustavo Cesar Veloso Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
69.  Julien Simon Saur – Sojasun @ st
70.  Mikel Astarloza Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
71.  Aritz Bagües Orbea – Oreka SDA @ st
72.  Joni Silva Brandao Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
73.  Alexander Ryabkin Caja Rural @ st
74.  Luis Leon Sanchez Gil Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
75.  Luis Guillermo Mas Bonet Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
76.  Alejandro Valverde Belmonte Movistar Team @ st
77.  Ignatas Konovalovas Movistar Team @ st
78.  Giovanni Bernaudeau Europcar @ st
79.  Pablo Lastras Garcia Movistar Team @ st
80.  Yannick Eijssen BMC Racing Team @ st
81.  Jens Voigt RadioShack – Nissan @ st
82.  Sergio Luis Henao Montoya Sky Procycling @ st
83.  Omar Fraile Matarranza Orbea – Oreka SDA @ st
84.  Jorge Azanza Soto Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
85.  Román Osuna Montes Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
86.  Andréas Klöden RadioShack – Nissan @ st
87.  Mathieu Claude Europcar 00:15
88.  Thomas Löfkvist Sky Procycling @ st
89.  David Veilleux Europcar @ st
90.  David De La Cruz Caja Rural @ st
91.  Tom Jelte Slagter Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
92.  Joan Horrach Rippoll Katusha Team @ st
93.  Nicolas Capdepuy Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
94.  Haimar Zubeldia Agirre RadioShack – Nissan @ st
95.  David Belda Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
96.  Javier Francisco Aramendia Lorente Caja Rural @ st
97.  Andy Schleck RadioShack – Nissan @ st
98.  Alberto Contador Velasco Team Saxo Bank @ st
99.  Marco Pinotti BMC Racing Team @ st
100.  Pablo Lechuga Rodriguez Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
101.  Karsten Kroon Team Saxo Bank @ st
102.  Brice Feillu Saur – Sojasun @ st
103.  Olivier Kaisen Lotto – Belisol Team @ st
104.  Sander Cordeel Lotto – Belisol Team @ st
105.  Marc Reynes Mimo Team Nutrixxion Sparkasse @ st
106.  Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
107.  Ion Izagirre Insausti Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
108.  Victor Cabedo Carda Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
109.  Thomas Rohregger RadioShack – Nissan @ st
110.  Paul Voss Endura Racing @ st
111.  Manuele Boaro Team Saxo Bank @ st
112.  Andreas Schillinger Team NetApp @ st
113.  Rick Flens Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
114.  Paul Martens Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
115.  Julien Vermote Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ st
116.  Guillaume Levarlet Saur – Sojasun @ st
117.  Franck Bouyer Europcar @ st
118.  Carlos Verona Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
119.  Yohann Gene Europcar @ st
120.  Niki Terpstra Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ st
121.  Adrian Saez De Arregi Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
122.  Igor Romero Etxebarria Caja Rural @ st
123.  Frank Schleck RadioShack – Nissan @ st
124.  Juan Manuel Garate Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
125.  Efren Carazo Burgos 2016 – Castilla Y Leon @ st
126.  Steven Kruijswijk Rabobank Cycling Team @ st
127.  Kasper Larsen Klostergaard Team Saxo Bank @ st
128.  Aritz Etxebarria Orbea – Oreka SDA @ st
129.  John Jack Anderson Endura Racing @ st
130.  Rudy Molard Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ st
131.  Jose Vega Aguilar Andalucia – Caja Granada @ st
132.  Michal Golas Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ st
133.  Karol Domagalski Caja Rural @ st
134.  Markus Eichler Team NetApp @ st
135.  Alberto Losada Alguacil Katusha Team @ st
136.  Jean-marc Marino Saur – Sojasun @ st
137.  Denis Menchov Katusha Team @ st
138.  Jakob Fuglsang RadioShack – Nissan @ st
139.  Manuel Quinziato BMC Racing Team @ st
140.  Mauro Santambrogio BMC Racing Team @ st
141.  Serge Pauwels Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ st
142.  Jon Aberasturi Orbea – Oreka SDA @ st
143.  Gorka Izagirre Insausti Euskaltel – Euskadi @ st
144.  Mikel Bizkarra Orbea – Oreka SDA @ st
145.  Amaël Moinard BMC Racing Team @ st
146.  Steve Morabito BMC Racing Team @ st
147.  Cyril Bessy Saur – Sojasun @ st
148.  Nicolas Edet Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ st
149.  Jesús Lopez Herrada Movistar Team @ st
150.  Daniel Moreno Fernandéz Katusha Team @ st
151.  Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver Katusha Team @ st
152.  Bas Stamsnijder Cycling Team De Rijke @ st
153.  Dion Beukeboom Cycling Team De Rijke @ st
154.  Jan Ghyselinck Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne @ st
155.  Kevin Reza Europcar @ st
156.  Xavier Florencio Katusha Team @ st
157.  Takashi Miyazawa Team Saxo Bank @ st
158.  Frederique Robert Lotto – Belisol Team 00:37
159.  Steven Cozza Team NetApp 00:39
160.  Giovanni Visconti Movistar Team @ st
161.  Grischa Janorschke Team NetApp 00:43
162.  Jonathan Mcevoy Endura Racing 00:45
163.  Timo Seubert Team NetApp 00:50
164.  Christophe Laborie Saur – Sojasun @ st
165.  Eric Rowsell Endura Racing 00:53
166.  Dean Windsor Endura Racing 00:54
167.  Matteo Trentin Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:56
168.  Marco Bandiera Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ st
169.  Igor Merino Orbea – Oreka SDA 01:12
170.  Blaz Jarc Team NetApp 01:25
171.  Ivan Santaromita BMC Racing Team 01:43
172.  Cadel Evans BMC Racing Team @ st
173.  Jaroslaw Marycz Team Saxo Bank @ st
174.  Lars Petter Nordhaug Sky Procycling @ st
175.  Egoitz GarcÃa Etxegibel Cofidis – Le Credit En Ligne 02:10
176.  Joost Van Leijen Lotto – Belisol Team 02:13
177.  Michael Schwarzmann Team NetApp 02:15
The second stage of the Challenge Majorca (Monday) will probably not end up in a bunch kick with the race taking in some mountains and finishing after 171 lumpy kilometres.
— Migjorn Trophy (171.7 km). Monday 6 February.
— Deia Trophy (151 kilometers). Tuesday, February 7.
— Trophy Serra de Tramuntana (160.2 miles). Wednesday February 8.
 Tour of Qatar……………………………………………………………………………….
In perfect weather conditions despite ever present wind, stage 1 of the Tour of Qatar ended in a bunch sprint. Belgian Tom Boonen once again proved he was the man to beat on a race he’s already won three times. The Omega Pharma-Quickstep rider captured his 19th stage success here and will carry the first overall leader’s Golden jersey of this 2012 edition.
After a very windy Ladies’ Tour of Qatar, the conditions were a lot milder for the men’s event as the World’s best riders gathered at the start of stage 1 under a bright sun and far less wind than on the previous days. For this 11th edition, 127 riders (Clarke (CSS) failed to start) took off from the Barzan Towers including World champion Mark Cavendish (SKY), World number one Philippe Gilbert (BMC), title holder Mark Renshaw (RAB), three-time Tour of Qatar winner Tom Boonen (OPQ), as well as the likes of Hushovd (BMC), Cancellara (RNT), Farrar (GRM) and Pozzato (FAR).
As soon as kilometre 3, Adam Hansen took off on his own. His lead grew rapidly from 25″ at km 5 to a maximum 6’40 at the first bonus sprint (km 28.5) he captured ahead of Hallen (KAT) and Renshaw. From that point on the gap dropped down.
Just after the feeding zone (km 69), as the leader headed back south and the wind blew sideways, the pack broke up into several parts with a group of 29 pulling away. That pack, including Boonen, Cancellara, Sagan and Farrar caught up with Hansen and could enjoy a 20″ lead. They reached the second intermediate sprint (km 82), won by Farrar ahead of Appolonio (SKY) and Maes (OPQ), with a 14″ lead. But all the riders eventually gathered together again at km 83, enjoying a tailwind all the way to the finish.
Mark Cavendish, who had fallen ill on his flight from London Heathrow to Doha on Friday night, started the race and came home safely in the main bunch.
Adam Blythe runner-Up for BMC
A reconnaissance session on the eve of the opening stage of the Tour of Qatar helped BMC Racing Team’s Adam Blythe score a runner-up finish to Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) Sunday and take the best young rider’s jersey.
When BMC Racing Team Directeur Sportif John Lelangue learned the stage finish had been moved from Doha Golf Club to New Atlantic College due to road construction, he took the squad’s sprinters for some after-dinner reconnaissance of the wide, straight road. “We went out and looked at the final three kilometers,” Blythe said. “I don’t think many people knew how far it was from the top of that little rise to the finish. I knew I had to be in the top five or three before that. So it helped that I knew what position I had to be in.”
Team Time Trial Monday
Blythe trails Boonen by four seconds in the overall standings heading into Monday’s 11.3 km team time trial. “It’s going to be a pretty tough one,” Lelangue said. “The course is like a big cross, so there will be change of direction with the wind. It will be pretty difficult. There are some roundabouts you have to take at full speed but we’ll try to make a good race. We’re taking things day-by-day.” BMC Racing Team’s Thor Hushovd and Klaas Lodewyck were caught up in a crash at one point in Sunday’s 142.5 kilometer race but neither was seriously hurt, Lelangue said.
Result
1    Tom Boonen   Omega Pharma – Quickstep   03:11:32
2    Adam Blythe   BMC Racing Team   @ st
3    Peter Sagan   Liquigas – Cannondale   @ st
4    Tyler Farrar   Team Garmin – Barracuda   @ st
5    Daniel Oss   Liquigas – Cannondale   @ st
6    Mark Renshaw   Rabobank Cycling Team   @ st
7    Alexander Kristoff   Katusha Team   @ st
8    Davide Appollonio   Sky Procycling   @ st
9    Jonas Van Genechten   Lotto – Belisol Team   @ st
10    Robert Wagner   RadioShack – Nissan   @ st
11    Arnaud Demare   Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat   @ st
12    Giacomo Nizzolo   RadioShack – Nissan   @ st
13    Francesco Chicchi   Omega Pharma – Quickstep   @ st
14    Marcel Sieberg   Lotto – Belisol Team   @ st
15    Gert Steegmans   Omega Pharma – Quickstep   @ st
16    John Degenkolb   1t4i   @ st
17    Geoffrey Soupe   Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat   @ st
18    Baden Cooke   GreenEdge Cycling Team   @ st
19    Guillaume Van Keirsbulck   Omega Pharma – Quickstep   @ st
20    Lars Ytting Bak   Lotto – Belisol Team   @ st
21    Thor Hushovd   BMC Racing Team   @ st
22    Fabio Sabatini   Liquigas – Cannondale   @ st
23    Matthias Friedemann   Champion System   @ st
24    Vladimir Isaychev   Katusha Team   @ st
25    Bernhard Eisel   Sky Procycling   @ st
26    Gatis Smukulis   Katusha Team   @ st
27    Roy Curvers   1t4i   @ st
28    Dominique Rollin   Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat   @ st
29    Dennis Van Winden   Rabobank Cycling Team   @ st
30    David Boucher   Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat   @ st
31    Ian Stannard   Sky Procycling   @ st
32    Aleksandr Kuschynski   Katusha Team   @ st
33    Tom Veelers   1t4i   @ st
34    Robbie Mcewen   GreenEdge Cycling Team   @ st
35    Aidis Kruopis   GreenEdge Cycling Team   @ st
36    Mickaël Delage   Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat   @ st
37    Svein Tuft   GreenEdge Cycling Team   @ st
38    Taylor Phinney   BMC Racing Team   @ st
39    Gorik Gardeyn   Champion System   @ st
40    Maarten Wynants   Rabobank Cycling Team   @ st
41    Fumiyuki Beppu   GreenEdge Cycling Team   @ st
42    Roger Kluge   1t4i   @ st
43    Johan Vansummeren   Team Garmin – Barracuda   @ st
44    Michael Barry   Sky Procycling   @ st
45    Aaron Kemps   Champion System   @ st
46    Mehdi Sohrabi   Lotto – Belisol Team   @ st
47    Nikolas Maes   Omega Pharma – Quickstep   @ st
48    Gabriel Rasch   Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat   @ st
49    Mark Cavendish   Sky Procycling   @ st
50    Ramunas Navardauskas   Team Garmin – Barracuda   @ st
51    Michael Schar   BMC Racing Team   @ st
52    Juan Antonio Flecha   Sky Procycling   @ st
53    Miyataka Shimizu   Team Bridgestone – Anchor   @ st
54    Marco Haller   Katusha Team   @ st
55    Gregory Rast   RadioShack – Nissan   @ st
56    Yoann Offredo   Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat   @ st
57    Rüdiger Selig   Katusha Team   @ st
58    Mauro Da Dalto   Liquigas – Cannondale   @ st
59    Danilo Wyss   BMC Racing Team   @ st
60    Alan Marangoni   Liquigas – Cannondale   @ st
61    Graeme Brown   Rabobank Cycling Team   @ st
62    Paolo Longho Borghini   Liquigas – Cannondale   @ st
63    Kevin Hulsmans   Farnese Vini – Selle Italia   @ st
64    Koen De Kort   1t4i   @ st
65    Ramon Sinkeldam   1t4i   @ st
66    David Mc Cann   RTS Racing Team   @ st
67    Jens Mouris   GreenEdge Cycling Team   @ st
68    Maciej Bodnar   Liquigas – Cannondale   @ st
69    Tony Gallopin   RadioShack – Nissan   @ st
70    Frederik Willems   Lotto – Belisol Team   @ st
71    Yaroslav Popovych   RadioShack – Nissan   @ st
72    Mart Ojavee   Champion System   @ st
73    Fabian Cancellara   RadioShack – Nissan   @ st
74    Jacob Rathe   Team Garmin – Barracuda   @ st
75    Philippe Gilbert   BMC Racing Team   @ st
76    Mikhail Ignatyev   Katusha Team   @ st
77    Christian Knees   Sky Procycling   @ st
78    Thomas Dekker   Team Garmin – Barracuda   @ st
79    Martin Kohler   BMC Racing Team   @ st
80    Jos Van Emden   Rabobank Cycling Team   @ st
81    Jai Crawford   RTS Racing Team   @ st
82    Luca Ascani   Farnese Vini – Selle Italia   @ st
83    Andrea Guardini   Farnese Vini – Selle Italia   @ st
84    Filippo Pozzato   Farnese Vini – Selle Italia   @ st
85    Gregory Henderson   Lotto – Belisol Team   @ st
86    Thomas Lebas   Team Bridgestone – Anchor   @ st
87    Markel Irizar Aranburu   RadioShack – Nissan   @ st
88    Alexandre Lemair   Team Bridgestone – Anchor   @ st
89    Matthieu Ladagnous   Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat   @ st
90    Maarten Tjallingii   Rabobank Cycling Team   @ st
91    Robert Hunter   Team Garmin – Barracuda   @ st
92    Blaise Sonnery   Team Bridgestone – Anchor   @ st
93    Frantisek Rabon   Omega Pharma – Quickstep   @ st
94    Alex Coutts   RTS Racing Team   @ st
95    Klaas Lodewyck   BMC Racing Team   @ st
96    Adam Hansen   Lotto – Belisol Team   @ st
97    Lee Rodgers   RTS Racing Team   @ st
98    Alessandro Vanotti   Liquigas – Cannondale   @ st
99    Matthew Brammeier   Omega Pharma – Quickstep   @ st
100    Sebastian Langeveld   GreenEdge Cycling Team   @ st
101    Joost Posthuma   RadioShack – Nissan   @ st
102    Kazuo Inoue   Team Bridgestone – Anchor   @ st
103    Pengda Jiao   Champion System   @ st
104    Thomas Lebas   Team Bridgestone – Anchor   @ st
105    Jeremy Hunt   Sky Procycling   @ st
106    Albert Timmer   1t4i   @ st
107    Dominik Klemme   1t4i   @ st
108    Diego Caccia   Farnese Vini – Selle Italia   @ st
109    Thomas Bertolini   Farnese Vini – Selle Italia   00:21
110    Pier Paolo De Negri   Farnese Vini – Selle Italia   00:23
111    Christiano Benenati   Farnese Vini – Selle Italia   00:29
112    Hayato Yoshida   Team Bridgestone – Anchor   00:31
113    Clinton Avery   Champion System   00:33
114    Klaas Sys   Team Bridgestone – Anchor   00:37
115    Stijn Vandenbergh   Omega Pharma – Quickstep   @ st
116    Murilo Antonio Fischer   Team Garmin – Barracuda   00:44
117    Jack Bauer   Team Garmin – Barracuda   @ st
118    Jens Debusschere   Lotto – Belisol Team   @ st
119    Allan Davis   GreenEdge Cycling Team   01:04
120    Xu Gang   Champion System   02:54
121    Denis Galimzyanov   Katusha Team   @ st
122    Ryota Nishizono      @ st
123    Chin Lung Huang   RTS Racing Team   03:18
124    Chin Lung Huang   RTS Racing Team   12:38
125    Sergey Kudentsov   RTS Racing Team   @ st
126    Wei Kei Chang   RTS Racing Team   @ st
