With three flat stages to come, we have already suggested organisers ASO may find their race is as good as over after the individual time trial. And after stretching his overall lead to 21 seconds, thanks to fifth place in the time trial, Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) has certainly made his task much easier. Stay out of trouble, and it is race over and another golden jersey for the Belgian super team – their third consecutive win in Qatar, and with three different riders, including British champion, Mark Cavendish.

Of course, with the winds still likely to play a big part, it will not be quite as simple as that, but Omega Pharma-Quickstep have proved already they are more than capable of surviving when the echelons start to form. Their emphatic victory on stage two, courtesy of Tom Boonen, means they have every right to be optimistic. Second-placed Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol) also benefits from being part of a very strong team, as proved by his display in support of Andre Greipel at the Tour Down Under. But overturning a 21-second deficit, especially if Omega Pharma-Quickstep remain in top form, seems unlikely.