Tom Boonen (Quick Step), rozpoczął sezon w najlepszy sposób jak było to tylko możliwe. Belg wygrał po spektakularnym sprincie z małej grupki faworytów 1. etap wyścigu Tour of Qatar. Drugie miejsce zajął Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Cervelo), trzeci był Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad). Belg dzięki zwycięstwu, odebrał złotą koszulkę Larsowi Boom (Rabobank).
Boonen pokazał znakomitą formę i podniósł nieco morale w ekipie Quick-Step. Zwycięstwo byłego Mistrza Świata cieszy tym bardziej, że w zeszłym roku męczyła go kontuzja kolana. Belg wygrał finisz z 18. osobowej grupki największych faworytów wyścigu, która utworzyła się na „rancie”.
Boonen, Cancellara, Cavendish oraz Boom znaleźli się się wśród 26 zawodników, którzy dokonali pierwszego podziału na trasie, głównie dzięki ekipom Quick Step i Garmin-Cervelo, które ostro „przyrantowały” na około 50 km przed metą.
Podczas kolejnych podziałów odpadli m.in.: Cavendish, Danilo Hondo (Lampre-ISD) czy też Alex Dowstett (Sky). Pecha miał lider, Lars Boom, który miał problemy z żołądkiem i musiał skorzystać z „krzaczka”. Ostatecznie lider przyjechał w peletonie i stracił koszulkę lidera.
W końcówce finisz za wcześnie rozpoczął Renshaw. Sprytnie wykorzystał to Boonen, który wyszedł z koła Australijczykowi i mógł cieszyć się ze zwycięstwa. Kolarza HTC-Columbia, wyprzedził jeszcze jego rodak, Heinrich Haussler.
W generalce prowadzi Boonen. Belg ma 4 sekundy przewagi nad Renshawem oraz 8 sekund nad Cancellarą.
Wyniki 1 etapu Tour of Qatar:
| 1 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 2:59:29 | |
| 2 | Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 3 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad | ||
| 4 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Leopard Trek | ||
| 5 | Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 6 | Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling | ||
| 7 | Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ | ||
| 8 | Roger Hammond (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 9 | Andreas Klier (Ger) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 10 | Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Leopard Trek | ||
| 11 | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 12 | Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky Procycling | ||
| 13 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Leopard Trek | ||
| 14 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 15 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:00:10 | |
| 16 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) HTC-Highroad | 0:00:22 | |
| 17 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:00:39 | |
| 18 | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 19 | Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | 0:05:01 | |
| 20 | Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team | ||
| 21 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Katusha Team | ||
| 22 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Katusha Team | ||
| 23 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 24 | Roger Kluge (Ger) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 25 | Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad | ||
| 26 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 27 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) HTC-Highroad | ||
| 28 | Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 29 | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Katusha Team | ||
| 30 | Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 31 | Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling | ||
| 32 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | ||
| 33 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling | ||
| 34 | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Leopard Trek | ||
| 35 | Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha Team | ||
| 36 | Simon Clarke (Aus) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 37 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 38 | Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 39 | Davide Vigano (Ita) Leopard Trek | ||
| 40 | Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 41 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quickstep Cycling Team | ||
| 42 | Francesco Failli (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | 0:12:30 | |
| 43 | Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 44 | Davide Ricci Bitti (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 45 | Diego Caccia (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 46 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 47 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team | ||
| 48 | Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team | ||
| 49 | Dmytro Krivtsov (Ukr) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 50 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 51 | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 52 | Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Geox-TMC | ||
| 53 | Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Sky Procycling | ||
| 54 | Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 55 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 56 | Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Geox-TMC | ||
| 57 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling | ||
| 58 | Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha Team | ||
| 59 | Maxim De Busschere (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 60 | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) HTC-Highroad | ||
| 61 | Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 62 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 63 | Frederique Robert (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | ||
| 64 | Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Leopard Trek | ||
| 65 | Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 66 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 67 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 68 | Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 69 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 70 | Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 71 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 72 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 73 | Leonardo Giordani (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 74 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 75 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 76 | Mark McNally (GBr) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 77 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ | ||
| 78 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ | ||
| 79 | Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ | ||
| 80 | Matthew Brammeier (Irl) HTC-Highroad | ||
| 81 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) HTC-Highroad | ||
| 82 | Leif Hoste (Bel) Katusha Team | ||
| 83 | Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 84 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 85 | Russell Downing (GBr) Sky Procycling | ||
| 86 | Tom Veelers (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 87 | John Murphy (USA) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 88 | Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 89 | Alex Dowsett (GBr) Sky Procycling | ||
| 90 | Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 91 | Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 92 | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 93 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 94 | Marko Kump (Slo) Geox-TMC | ||
| 95 | Travis Meyer (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 96 | Dominic Klemme (Ger) Leopard Trek | ||
| 97 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-Highroad | 0:14:49 | |
| 98 | Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 99 | Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team | ||
| 100 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 101 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 102 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 103 | Tanel Kangert (Est) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 104 | Grégory Joseph (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | 0:17:35 | |
| 105 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 106 | Joost Posthuma (Ned) Leopard Trek | ||
| 107 | Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 108 | Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 109 | Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ | ||
| 110 | Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukr) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 111 | Kevin Claeys (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 112 | Sam Bennett (Irl) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 113 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 114 | David Gutierrez Gutierrez (Spa) Geox-TMC | ||
| 115 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ | ||
| 116 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 117 | Marco Corti (Ita) Geox-TMC | ||
| 118 | Tomas Alberio (Ita) Geox-TMC | ||
| 119 | Daniele Ratto (Ita) Geox-TMC | ||
| 120 | Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 121 | Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rus) Geox-TMC | ||
| 122 | Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | ||
| 123 | Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 124 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| DNF | Martin Reimer (Ger) Skil – Shimano | ||
| DNS | Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) FDJ |
Klasyfikacja generalna po 1 etapie:
| 1 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 3:02:32 | |
| 2 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad | 0:00:04 | |
| 3 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Leopard Trek | 0:00:08 | |
| 4 | Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling | 0:00:09 | |
| 5 | Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:00:11 | |
| 6 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Leopard Trek | 0:00:16 | |
| 7 | Andreas Klier (Ger) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 8 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:00:17 | |
| 9 | Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky Procycling | 0:00:19 | |
| 10 | Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ | ||
| 11 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:00:20 | |
| 12 | Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Leopard Trek | ||
| 13 | Roger Hammond (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:00:21 | |
| 14 | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:28 | |
| 15 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) HTC-Highroad | 0:00:40 | |
| 16 | Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:46 | |
| 17 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:00:53 | |
| 18 | Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:00:58 | |
| 19 | Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:05:03 | |
| 20 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:05:13 | |
| 21 | Roger Kluge (Ger) Skil – Shimano | 0:05:14 | |
| 22 | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Leopard Trek | 0:05:15 | |
| 23 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:05:17 | |
| 24 | Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling | 0:05:18 | |
| 25 | Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad | 0:05:19 | |
| 26 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Katusha Team | 0:05:20 | |
| 27 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky Procycling | ||
| 28 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:05:21 | |
| 29 | Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 30 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Katusha Team | 0:05:22 | |
| 31 | Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 32 | Simon Clarke (Aus) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 33 | Davide Vigano (Ita) Leopard Trek | 0:05:23 | |
| 34 | Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 35 | Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 36 | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Katusha Team | 0:05:25 | |
| 37 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | ||
| 38 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) HTC-Highroad | 0:05:27 | |
| 39 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 40 | Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team | ||
| 41 | Luca Paolini (Ita) Katusha Team | 0:05:29 | |
| 42 | Tom Veelers (Ned) Skil – Shimano | 0:12:39 | |
| 43 | Alex Dowsett (GBr) Sky Procycling | 0:12:40 | |
| 44 | Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Pro Team Astana | 0:12:42 | |
| 45 | Matthew Brammeier (Irl) HTC-Highroad | 0:12:43 | |
| 46 | Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:12:44 | |
| 47 | Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre – ISD | 0:12:46 | |
| 48 | Russell Downing (GBr) Sky Procycling | ||
| 49 | John Murphy (USA) BMC Racing Team | 0:12:47 | |
| 50 | Theo Bos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 51 | Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 52 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ | 0:12:48 | |
| 53 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 54 | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 55 | Simon Geschke (Ger) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 56 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ | 0:12:49 | |
| 57 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 58 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 59 | Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 60 | Leif Hoste (Bel) Katusha Team | 0:12:50 | |
| 61 | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) HTC-Highroad | ||
| 62 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 63 | Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Sky Procycling | ||
| 64 | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 65 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | ||
| 66 | Maxim De Busschere (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 67 | Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Leopard Trek | 0:12:51 | |
| 68 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 69 | Travis Meyer (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo | ||
| 70 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling | ||
| 71 | Davide Ricci Bitti (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 72 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | 0:12:52 | |
| 73 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Pro Team Astana | 0:12:53 | |
| 74 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 75 | Francesco Failli (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 76 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly | 0:12:54 | |
| 77 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 78 | Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | 0:12:55 | |
| 79 | Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 80 | Mark McNally (GBr) An Post – Sean Kelly | ||
| 81 | Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 82 | Marko Kump (Slo) Geox-TMC | ||
| 83 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:12:56 | |
| 84 | Dominic Klemme (Ger) Leopard Trek | ||
| 85 | Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Geox-TMC | ||
| 86 | Frederique Robert (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | ||
| 87 | Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:12:57 | |
| 88 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team | ||
| 89 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | ||
| 90 | Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ | ||
| 91 | Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha Team | 0:12:58 | |
| 92 | Diego Caccia (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | 0:12:59 | |
| 93 | Dmytro Krivtsov (Ukr) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 94 | Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Geox-TMC | 0:13:01 | |
| 95 | Leonardo Giordani (Ita) Farnese Vini – Neri Sottoli | 0:13:03 | |
| 96 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) HTC-Highroad | 0:13:47 | |
| 97 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:15:04 | |
| 98 | Tanel Kangert (Est) Pro Team Astana | ||
| 99 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post – Sean Kelly | 0:15:05 | |
| 100 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-Highroad | 0:15:07 | |
| 101 | Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha Team | 0:15:19 | |
| 102 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre – ISD | 0:15:21 | |
| 103 | Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | 0:15:22 | |
| 104 | Joost Posthuma (Ned) Leopard Trek | 0:17:50 | |
| 105 | Jelle Wallays (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | 0:17:51 | |
| 106 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ | 0:17:53 | |
| 107 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | 0:17:54 | |
| 108 | Tomas Alberio (Ita) Geox-TMC | 0:17:55 | |
| 109 | Sam Bennett (Irl) An Post – Sean Kelly | 0:17:56 | |
| 110 | Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | ||
| 111 | Grégory Joseph (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 112 | Kevin Claeys (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly | 0:17:57 | |
| 113 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 114 | Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ | 0:17:58 | |
| 115 | Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned) Skil – Shimano | ||
| 116 | Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post – Sean Kelly | 0:18:00 | |
| 117 | Daniele Ratto (Ita) Geox-TMC | ||
| 118 | Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre – ISD | 0:18:01 | |
| 119 | Vitaliy Kondrut (Ukr) Lampre – ISD | 0:18:03 | |
| 120 | Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | ||
| 121 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator | 0:18:04 | |
| 122 | Dmitry Kozontchuk (Rus) Geox-TMC | 0:18:10 | |
| 123 | David Gutierrez Gutierrez (Spa) Geox-TMC | 0:18:14 | |
| 124 | Marco Corti (Ita) Geox-TMC | 0:18:18 |
