German ProTour team looking for stage win at sprinters’ festival

Dortmund, 4. February 2010. Led by captain Gerald Ciolek, Team MILRAM will take part in the Tour of Qatar (February 7-12/UCI 2.1) as of this coming Sunday. Together with newcomers Roger Kluge, Roy Sentjens and Wim de Vocht, the German ProTour team hopes for its first season victory in the ASO-organized race. Directeur Sportif Ralf Grabsch will look to veterans Björn Schröder and Peter Wrolich for their experience.

“We have prepared well and are looking forward to our first racing,“ said Gerald Ciolek about the season start in Qatar. “I have trained a lot with this group over the winter. The three newcomers were quickly integrated and we harmonized quickly both on and off the bike. Now we have to see how it works out in a race, to start successfully in the season.“

The Emirate on the Persian Gulf is holding its Tour for the ninth time. The flat profile over six stages and about 700 km is perfect for the sprinters. On Sunday, February 7, things open with an 8.2 km long team time trial in the northern part of West Bay Lagoon in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Last year, MILRAM sprinter Robert Förster rode into the Top Ten twice, finishing fifth in the fourth stage and second in the closing stage.

Team MILRAM for the Tour of Qatar:
Gerald Ciolek (GER/Ermatingen,SUI), Wim de Vocht (BEL/Turnhout), Roger Kluge (GER/Eisenhüttenstadt), Servais Knaven (NED/Meerle, BEL), Roy Sentjens (BEL/Nerpeelt), Björn Schröder (GER/Berlin), Niki Terpstra (NED/Haarlem), Peter Wrolich (AUT/Klagenfurt)
Directeur Sportif: Ralf Grabsch (GER)

The stages:
07.02. 1. Stage: West Bay Lagoon – West Bay Lagoon (8,2 km / TTT)
08.02. 2. Stage: Camel Race Track – Qatar Foundation (147 km)
09.02. 3. Stage: Dukhan – Mesaieed (136,5 km)
10.02. 4. Stage: The Pearl – Al Khor Corniche (146,5 km)
11.02. 5. Stage: Lusail – Madinat Al Shamal (142 km)
12.02. 6. Stage: Al Wakra – Doha Corniche (123,5 km)
Total distance: 703,7 km