Everything’s ready for team QUICK STEP’s journey to Qatar. The riders led by Sports Director Wilfried Peeters will leave for the Middle East from Brussels today in the afternoon.

Once again the roads of Qatar will host Tom Boonen’s season opener: Tom has already won this brief stage race three times and collected a lot of stage wins.

“I’ve been training well – explained Boonen – I feel good. I can’t wait to race and see where I stand with respect to the competition.”

Qatar will also mark Gert Steegmans’ return to the QUICK STEP jersey. The team is completed by Marco Bandiera, Francesco Chicchi, winner of two stages last year, Nikolas Maes, Frederique Robert, Andreas Stauff and Kevin Van Impe.

“The Tour of Qatar is an important race in which we’ve always done well – Sporting Director Wilfried Peeter says – The team’s goal is to win at least one stage. This race is the start of an important cycle for us, which will culminate with the Tour of Oman on February 20th, and which will be useful for Belgian cycling’s opening weekend at the end of February with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne Brussels Kurrne and the races in the beginning of March. Six athletes, Boonen, Chicchi, Maes, Stauff, Steegmans and Van Impe will be racing in both Qatar and Oman. Marc De Maar and Dries Devenyns will substitute for Bandiera and Robert in Oman, trying to take advantage of a difficult route that is surely more adapted to their particular skills.”

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TEAM QUICK STEP TO TOUR OF QATAR?6-11/02/2011

Riders: Marco Bandiera (Ita), Tom Boonen (Bel), Francesco Chicchi (Ita), Nikolas Maes (Bel), Frederique Robert (Bel), Andreas Stauff (Ger), Gert Steegmans (Bel), Kevin Van Impe (Bel).

D.S.: Wilfried Peeters