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Boonen takes Tour of Qatar, Cav wins stage
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Belgian Tom Boonen (Quick Step) won the Tour of Qatar in Doha on Friday following Columbia's Mark Cavendish's sprint victory in the sixth and final stage.
The win was Cavendish's second stage win in a tour marked by the untimely death of 21-year-old Belgian Frederiek Nolf on Thursday. Cavendish dedicated his stage win to the young rider and his family.
Boonen's overall win marks his third victory in the Qatar race after successes in 2005 and 2008.
Stage 6: Sealine Beach Resort - Doha Corniche, 121 km (75.1 miles)
Winner: Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia-High Road) wins the sprint ahead of Robert Förster (Milram) and Heinrich Haussler (Cervélo TestTeam).
Overall Winner: Boonen finishes 0:08 ahead of Haussler.
Average speed of winner: 34.542 kph (21.4 mph)
Points leader: Haussler has 100 points to Boonen’s 92
Best young rider (Under 25): Haussler
Best team:Cervélo TestTeam.
Peloton: 117 riders.
But the Belgian star cut a subdued figure after his victory, which came 24 hours after Nolf was found dead in his hotel bed.
"I didn't have the heart to race today," said Boonen. "Fred was with us throughout the day. It was a different kind of day, from breakfast this morning the atmosphere has been very heavy."
Boonen was speaking as the body of Nolf was being repatriated to Belgium for an autopsy.
Nolf was found dead by his Topsport teammate Kristof Goddaert in their 14th floor shared room at the Ritz-Carlton before Thursday's fifth stage.
Throughout Friday's final day Boonen was content to sit on his 10sec lead in the overall standings, electing not to join battle in a sprint launched by Italian Danilo Napolitano 1500m from the finish.
Sprint specialist Cavendish ultimately prevailed by two bike lengths from Germany's Robert Forster.
"Two (stage) wins, my performance is mainly good," said Cavendish. "This Tour of Qatar has proved an enriching experience and important for my confidence because I've beaten top class sprinters here."
Cavendish's next stop is the Tour of California where he will clash again with Boonen who insisted Friday that the British rider was not unbeatable in a sprint "as long as you don't make a single mistake."
