Boonen sprints to victory

Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen powered to victory in the third stage of the Tour of Qatar at Mesaieed on Tuesday.

The 136.5km route from Dukhan turned into a dramatic bunch sprint and it was Quick Step rider Boonen, who has won the event three times in the last four years, who proved strongest, with Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo TestTeam) and Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank) filling the podium positions.

However the finish was marred by a pile-up in the final 200 metres which saw several riders crash to the ground, with Germany's Gerald Ciolek reportedly suffering a broken collarbone in the incident.

With the peloton finishing together it means Wouter Mol (Vacansoleil) retains his overall lead, nine seconds ahead of Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen). Boonen's time bonus takes him up from fourth to third, albeit one minute and 55 seconds behind Mol.

Earlier in the stage Steven Van Vooren (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Gatis Smukulis (Ag2R-La Mondiale) had tried to repeat Steurs and Mol's heroics from 24 hours earlier by launching a breakaway but, with crosswinds far less of a factor, they were reeled in with relative ease.

Team Sky home safely

The riders of Britain's Team Sky came home safely in the pack and senior sports director Scott Sunderland was a relieved man with the team having lost Norwegian rider Kurt-Asle Arvesen to a broken collarbone on Monday.

Sunderland told the Team Sky website, www.teamsky.com: "It was a super-fast last few kilometres and then in the closing stages five or six riders came down.

"We'd had a team meeting beforehand and said we're here to do well but don't want to be taking any unnecessary risks at this stage of the season if it's not merited.

"It was a tough day yesterday but a little bit better today even though we had another four punctures on account of some rough road surfaces.

"The main thing now is for the riders to get to know each out on the road, and get used to communicating and working with each other on the bike in different race situations."

Stage three result:

1 - Tom Boonen - (BEL) - Quick-Step - ( 3:01:39)
2 - Heinrich Haussler - (GER) - Cervélo - (same time)
3 - Baden Cooke - (AUS) - Saxo Bank - (same time)
4 - Kenny Dehaes - (BEL) - Omega Pharma-Lotto - (same time)
5 - Daniele Bennati - (ITA) - Liquigas - (same time)
6 - Peter Wrolich - (AUT) - Milram - (same time)
7 - Taylor Phinney - (USA) - Trek-Livestrong - (same time)
8 - Bobbie Traksel - (NED) - Vacansoleil - (same time)
9 - Tyler Farrar - (USA) - Garmin - (same time)
10 - Philippe Gilbert - (BEL) - Omega Pharma-Lotto - (same time)

Overall standings:

1 - Wouter Mol - (NED) - Vacansoleil - ( 6:42:30)
2 - Geert Steurs - (BEL) - Topsport Vlaanderen - (+9)
3 - Tom Boonen - (BEL) - Quick-Step - (+1:55)
4 - Roger Kluge - (GER) - Milram - (+1:59)
5 - Markus Burghardt - (GER) - BMC Racing Team - (+2:05)
6 - Danilo Napolitano - (ITA) - Katyusha - (+2:15)
7 - Philippe Gilbert - (BEL) - Omega Pharma-Lotto - (+2:17)
8 - Stuart O'Grady - (AUS) - Saxo Bank - (+2:40)
9 - Tyler Farrar - (USA) - Garmin - (+2:41)
10 - Heinrich Haussler - (GER) - Cervélo - (+2:43)