Dortmund, 8. February 2010. MILRAM newcomer Roger Kluge provided a surprise in the second stage of the Tour of Qatar (February 7-12 / UCI 2.1) after 147 kilometers from the Camel Race Track to the Qatar Foundation. The 24-year-old broke from a chase group which featured many big names with about 500 meters to go and used a spectacular attack to take third place. A few minutes before, Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen won the closing sprint against his escape companion Wouter Mol (Vacansoliel). Dutchman Mol took the overall lead. MILRAM newcomer Kluge is now in third place overall and took the white jersey of the best young rider.

„Roger still had a lot of power in his legs at the end, “ said a happy Ralf Grabsch, MILRAM’s Directeur Sportif, after the stage. „That is exactly what is needed here – a lot of power. With this wind, you always have to pay attention. I would have like to have had a third rider in the group. But Björn Schröder and Roger Kluge did a great job. We can simply be satisfied with Roger’s third place and the white jersey.“

In the first attack of the day, Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Wouter Mol (Vacansoliel) were able to get away from the peloton. The duo profited from the extremely windy conditions and quickly built up a lead of over seven minutes. The field then split up, with the two MILRAM riders Björn Schröder and Roger Kluge making it into the 19 rider-large chase group, where they did their share of lead work. But the wind and the unorganized group played into the heads of the lead duo, bringing about the breakaway win in the Tour of Qatar.

Five kilometers before the finish, Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) attacked in hopes of getting a podium place. The Belgian’s attack split the chase group. The attentive MILRAM newcomer Roger Kluge followed Gilbert’s attack and held on to the first chase group. Finally, Kluge attacked out of the group 500 meters before the finish line, with no one able to catch him., and took third place as well as the white jersey of the best young rider.

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:
7.02. 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