Good Break, Bad Break – 2010 Tour of Qatar Stage 2
It was the best of breaks, it was the worst of breaks. In another wind swept affair on the Gulf emirate of Qatar, two men, Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) and Wouter Mol (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team) pulled off the improbable — surviving the windy conditions without the shelter of the peloton to finish one-two — while another pair of riders, Kurt Asle Arvesen (Team Sky) and Steven Cozza (Team Garmin-Transitions) fell victim to the conditions and crashed out of the 2010 Tour of Qatar.
The 28-year-old Steurs, who has a penchant for taking a flyer or two, would win the two-up sprint against his Dutch breakaway companion to take today's 147km Stage 2 from the Camel Race Track to the Qatar Foundation. The victory, arguably the biggest of the Belgian's career, would serve as a tribute to former teammate Frederik Nolf, who passed away in his sleep during the same event last year.
For his efforts, Mol would not go away completely empty handed on the day as moments later he laid claim to the golden jersey as the race's new leader.
On the other end of the spectrum, both Arvesen and Cozza crashed out of the race, each suffering a broken collarbone. For Arvesen, the current Norwegian National Champion, it would be the second broken collarbone in less than a year, sustaining the same injury in last year's Tour de France.
Stage 2 Results
1. Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator)
2. Wouter Mol (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team)
3. Roger Kluge (Team Milram)
General Classification After Stage 2
1. Wouter Mol (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team)
2. Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator)
3. Roger Kluge (Team Milram)
4. Tom Boonen (Quick Step)
5. Marcus Burghardt (BMC Racing Team)
6. Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma - Lotto)
7. Danilo Napolitano (Katusha)
8. Stuart O’Grady (Team Saxo Bank)
9. Tyler Farrar (Garmin - Transitions)
10. Marco Velo (Quick Step)
More:
Steurs streaks to Tour of Qatar stage two win
Arvesen breaks collarbone
Next: Stage 3 - Dukhan to Mesaieed (136.5 km)
Photo: KARIM JAAFAR/AFP/Getty Images
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