Team CSC blew through the Tour of Qatar peloton in Wednesday’s thirdstage like a tornado, doing a ditty much like the team pulled off in lastyear’s Paris-Nice and delivered Danish veteran Lars Michaelsen an over-duestage victory.Team CSC put six of its eight riders into the day’s decisive move of17 riders in the blustery 194km stage across the otherwise flat Qatar,leaving pre-stage leader Tom Boonen (Quick Step) gasping for air.In the end, five Team CSC riders were in the top seven (Fred Rodriguezfought bravely to finish sixth), with Michaelsen taking the flowers androokie Matti Breschel in second. With two days remaining, Team CSC is chokingthe top three spots in the overall standings.“It was a brilliant victory today. We really took advantage of the crosswindsfrom the beginning,” said Michaelsen, who ended a winless drought datingback to 2003. “After 40 kilometers there were only 17 guys up front, sixof which were ours. When we attacked the second time, there were sevenriders up front and five were ours.”Boonen had won the opening two stages and seemed to be firmly in control,but the windy conditions provided a rare chance to attack in the mostlyflat desert expanses of Qatar. In the end, Boonen lost more than five minutesto fall out of contention.The strong winds were similar to the conditions in last year’s Paris-Nice,when Team CSC shredded the field and all but sewed up the race for eventualwinner Jorg Jaksche with a similar tactic. On Wednesday, the crosswindsmade it tough going for the Qatar field just getting its racing legs intomotion so early in the 2005 season.“This maneuver was a lot like the one we pulled in Paris-Nice last year,”said Team CSC sports director Alain Gallopin. “To attack with almost theentire team during strong crosswinds takes a huge amount of disciplineand the riders really showed what they’re made of today. World-class teamwork;there’s no better way to put it.” Tour of Qatar, Stage 3, Al Wakra to Al Khor Corniche,194 kilometers
FULLRESULTS
1. Lars Michaelsen (Den), Team CSC 4 hours, 5 minutes, 28 seconds
2. Matti Breschel (Den), Team CSC +0:02
3. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe), Liquigas-Bianchi +1:20
4. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita), Team CSC same time
5. Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Den), Team CSC  +1:22 Overall standings after three stages
1. Lars Michaelsen (Den), Team CSC   11 hours, 50 minutes,23 seconds
2. Matti Breschel (Den), Team CSC +1:14
3. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita), Team CSC +1:28
4. Fred Rodriguez (USA), Davitamon-Lotto +1:36
5. Tom Boonen (Bel), Quick Step +5:27