Lagab wins Tour of Zubarah in style
Algeria’s Azzedine Lagab on Saturday won the 2014 Tour of Zubarah while defending champion Yusuif Mirza had to settle for a white jersey. David Per won the blue jersey. Mirza on Saturday clinched the third and final stage of the four-day event with a slick finish opposite Zubarah Fort. Adria Mobil’s Primoz Roglic finished in second spot while Uzbekistan’s Vadim […]
Algeria’s Azzedine Lagab on Saturday won the 2014 Tour of Zubarah while defending champion Yusuif Mirza had to settle for a white jersey. David Per won the blue jersey.
Mirza on Saturday clinched the third and final stage of the four-day event with a slick finish opposite Zubarah Fort.
Adria Mobil’s Primoz Roglic finished in second spot while Uzbekistan’s Vadim Shaekhov was placed third.
Mirza on Saturday clocked 2 hours 44 minutes 46 seconds, a time shared by the top seven riders in stage three that started from Lekhwiya Stadium.
Lagab, who stunned with a stage win on Thursday, finished in 20th spot to secure his maiden triumph in Qatar.
The Algerian ended the tour with an overall time of 8:20.52 whereas Kristjan Fajt was 14 seconds adrift of the time set by Lagab.
Martin Weiss of Austria was 25 seconds off the pace set by Lagab.
“It was my first race in Qatar. We took the first stage and I wore the yellow jersey. I didn’t expect to keep it till the finish. But thank God, I gave it everything to keep my yellow jersey,” Lagab said after being crowned the champion.
“Yes, I can go on to win more races. There is a lot of races in January. I have another goal to do well in African Championship. Another of my top races is in March – the Tour of Algeria,” Lagab added.
“It is a well organised race. It is different from my previous races. We have a lot of crosswinds,” the Algerian said.
Mirza, who won stage two on Friday, was relieved man after nailing the white jersey.
“You see this (showing peeled skin on right hip), I did not recover well, but I am very happy. Sometimes you can’t control the things that are not in your control. It is in God’s hands. But I am happy to do well with a new team. You (journalists) ask me on first day about my team,” Mirza said.
The race was organized by Qatar Cycling Federation with the help of official sponsors Aspire Zone and Qatar Museums.
Check the Photo gallery of Tour of Al Zubarah:
