The absence of any mountainous terrain in Qatar means the emirate’s national tour – at least on paper – can seem a little predictable.
Sprint finishes are expected, and sprint finishes we have had – but Qatar has not been without its hazards for pro cycling’s elite riders.
The Tour of Qatar is notorious for its desert winds, they have already shredded the peloton on stages one and two, and this time out had an even more dramatic effect – a tailwind pushing the riders forward at close to 60km/h on average.
Blink, and you may well have missed it.
See our five observations from stage four over the following pages.
