Racing News:

• Italian Elia Rigotto (Team Milram) got thrown of off the TDU  after an altercation which left Australia’s Mathew Hayman (Rabobank) with a fractured left collarbone.
•  Belgian police stopped by the house of Tom Boonen’s parents as the result of an drug investigation related to his training partner Tom Vannoppen. Police asked Boonen a couple of questions, but it did not go beyond that.
• Earlier this week, Française des Jeux directeur sportif Marc Madiot was made a knight of the French Legion of Honor. The medal was presented by French president Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysées palace in Paris.
• The disciplinary commission of the Flemish Community has given Björn Leukemans a two year suspension for using testosterone, starting February 14. The former Team Predictor-Lotto (now Silence-Lotto) rider indicated that he would appeal the ban.
• The new Professional Continental BMC Racing Team is set to begin its season in the Tour of Qatar this weekend.
• The UCI announced it has awarded the 2011 Cyclo-cross World Championships to the town of St. Wendel, Germany. The city previously hosted the 2005 World Championships.
• Dave Zabriskie is behind Yield To Life, a new cycling advocacy and safety organization.

Tour of Qatar:

The Tour of Qatar starts this weekend. Tom Boonen, who has won 11 stages at this race, will make his season debut in this flat, wind-swept Middle Eastern country.

As was the case in 2007, the race will begin with a 6 km team time trial in Doha.

Stage two is 137.5 kilometres in length and runs from Al Zubarah to the Doha Golf Club. The early part heads north and east, skirting the coast, before plunging south in the direction of the capital and crossing one intermediate sprint en route to the finish.

The following day takes the riders 147.5 kilometres, starting at the camel race track at Ash Shahaniyah and finishing at the Qatar Foundation. Two bonus sprints occur along the way; this is also the case on stage four’s 131.5 kilometre race from Khalifa Stadium to Al Khor Corniche.

At 170 kilometres, stage five is the longest of the 2008 Tour of Qatar. It starts and finishes in the same area, running from Al Khor Academy to Al Khor Corniche. The final stage is 50 kilometres shorter and goes from Al Wakra to Doha Corniche. Both feature two intermediate sprints each.

There will be nine Pro Tour teams at the race. Other notable teams include the Slipstream-Chipotle H3O squad, TopSport Vlaanderen, Drapac - Porsche, Skil - Shimano and BMC Racing.