Tour of Qatar – Stage 6 – Heinrich Haussler «The goal was to prepare the group for the classic»

The final stage of the Tour of Qatar was chalked full suspense.  With very fast speeds assisted by a tail wind for three quarters of the stage, this finale on the corniche was perfect for a pure sprinter.  Though IAM Cycling worked hard throughout the last kilometers, it was Sam Bennett from the Bora-Argon team who came away as the surprise victor.  Nevertheless, Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick Step) still managed to retain his overall lead to win the Tour of Qatar.  IAM Cycling succeeded in keeping Heinrich Haussler safe in the top 10 with his 8th place overall.

Although the team sponsored by Michel Thétaz could not come away with a victory on this final stage, the riders from IAM Cycling still remained extremely aggressive during the day.

“The instructions were simple: it was all for Heino,” said directeur sportif Eddy Seigneur.  “Unfortunately we did not succeed in taking the win. The stage was extremely fast, and since it was the last stage, everyone wanted a win.  The pack was moving like constant waves rolling over; you could sense the nervousness, and we couldn’t do it.”  But even if the Swiss team did not snag the desired win in Qatar, Seigneur saw that the group came away with good lessons.  “Overall we had some good results.  We were in the fight for a win where we had to be, such as on the second stage or the penultimate stage.  Even if we didn’t win a stage, we did get three top-six places.  And above all, we wanted to show that we were gaining strength as a group, and that’s what we did.”

Australian champion, Heinrich Haussler confirmed this assessment. 

“I’m disappointed in this last sprint.  Admittedly, I did not win a stage in the Tour of Qatar, but it’s all relative.  The aim was also to prepare the group for the classics, and to learn to ride well as a team.  We have been successful in that mission, and that is the most important thing.  I am very happy with this team.  There are of course things to review that we can do better, but that will all happen.  Now this race is finished and I’ll go home, get some rest and then resume my training to be in good form for Paris-Nice.”