It’s the morning of 16th October 2016 and the cycling world is in Doha, Qatar, readying itself for the final event of the Road World Championships – the men’s road race. It has been a tough week for the UCI, with questions asked over why the championships have been brought here at all. The heat has been incessant and roadside support sparse. Local engagement has been virtually non-existent – even the taxi drivers are seemingly unaware there is a World Championships happening in their city. With one race to go it feels like this is a Worlds that needs saving.
From the Aspire Zone, a vast sports complex in Doha, 199 riders roll out for the 257km men’s race, heading north into the desert. The wind is blowing and everyone knows the key part of the race will come early, after 75km or so, when the route turns south towards the finishing circuit on Pearl Island.
With a small break up the road, the peloton starts to ride furiously as it approaches the right-hand turn back to the city. The pace is high, like the leadout to a sprint finish, as riders battle to secure positioning. Gaps appear, with riders left behind desperately trying to reconnect. Everyone knew this would be a crucial moment, but knowing it and doing something about it are two different things.
The Belgium team drives the move hard alongside Italy as a cross-tailwind causes carnage. A group of 20 or so riders forms at the front, and although there is still 150km to go it seems clear the winner will come from this group. Tom Boonen is there, as are Mark Cavendish, Michael Matthews and Alexander Kristoff. So too is the reigning World Champion, Slovakia’s Peter Sagan. He was one of the last riders to make the group after the key turn in the desert. ‘That was the first victory of the day,’ he will later say.