DOHA: Tunisian rider Meher Hasnaoui yesterday won the first stage of the Tour of Zubarah in Madinat Al Shamal where British rookie Jacob Tipper retained his yellow jersey after an exciting battle.
Hasnaoui, riding for Skydive Dubai, clocked a time of 3 hours 10 minutes and 52 seconds to win the first stage that started in Al Thakhira and wound up in the northern most tip of Qatar.
Tipper, who topped Wednesday’s prologue, yesterday finished a notch behind Hasnaoui, 12 seconds adrift of the stage winner.
In third place was Koos Jeroen Kers (Wilton Cycling team) who was also 12 seconds behind Hasnaoui.
Tipper, who owns the yellow and red jerseys, said: “I am happy with my performance today as I finished second. I managed to hold on to yellow and extended my lead in the points classification.”
Italian rider and Hasnaoui’s team-mate Andrea Palini produced yet another consistent run by finishing the 129.9kms stage in fourth spot. Abdelbasat Hanachi of Sharjah Team completed the top-five riders of the first stage.
Abderrahmane Mansouri (Sharjah Team), Seyed Moezeddin Khormizi (Pisghaman Giant Team), Artyom Zakharov (Kazakhstan Track Team Astana), M Rajabikaboodcheshmeh PKY Pisghaman Giant Team) and Nebojsa Jovanovic (Kuwait Cycling Project) completed the top-10 riders of the day.
Qatar’s Moosa Said finished yesterday’s stage one in 22nd spot yesterday. A notch behind Moosa was compatriot Ahmed Bassam Al Bourdainy who is riding for Sharjah Team.
Today the riders will tackle stage 2 - Dukhan to Camel Race Track. Riders in stage two will cover a distance of 119.8kms. The four-day race ends tomorrow.
THE PENINSULA
