[Stage 2] Schweizer wins stage, Tipper retains yellow jersey
German rider Michael Schweizer of Team Rose NRW clinched the second stage of the third Tour of Zubarah with a slick finish, yesterday at Dukhan. Schweizer, who was piloted well by his team, clocked 3:15:01s to finish the 119.8km stage ahead of Italian Andrea Palini of Skydive Dubai for his best result in last two […]
German rider Michael Schweizer of Team Rose NRW clinched the second stage of the third Tour of Zubarah with a slick finish, yesterday at Dukhan.
Schweizer, who was piloted well by his team, clocked 3:15:01s to finish the 119.8km stage ahead of Italian Andrea Palini of Skydive Dubai for his best result in last two years.
“I am very pleased with the win. I came here with expecting nothing and going home with at least one victory,” Schweizer said.
His best finish was a stage win at the 24th Course Cycliste de Solidarnosc et des Champions Olympiques in 2013.
The German, who was riding for the first time in Qatar, was almost given an armchair ride to the finish by his teammate Stefan Schneider who gave a perfect lead-out from 1200m to only 200m and then he unleashed his sprint to win the stage.
The 32-year-old rider lauded the effort of Schneider.
“It was really a hard race as it was not as windy as yesterday. We were lucky to have a breakaway one kilometer before the finish and Schneider did a perfect lead out form me. He was in the breakaway all the day and still he has the good leg in the end… he did a superb job for me.”
British rider Jacob Tipper finished in the bunch to retain his yellow jersey.
“It was a very tough race today… there was no wind today. There was a lot of pressure on me in the end. I was too tired for the last sprint,” Tipper said. “I somehow managed to retain the yellow jersey. We have last stage tomorrow and I am sure it’s going to be going to be tougher,” he said.
