World Cycling Championships 2016 Doha, Qatar: Route Road Race - men

Sunday, 16 October - The 2016 UCI Road World Championships are set to take place in the capitol of Qatar, Doha. Unlike previous editions the parcours features no climbs whatsoever. The major setbacks will be searing temperatures and strong winds.

The road race starts near the Khalifa International Stadium, while the finish is at the Pearl Boulevard at the artifical island The Pearl. Between start and finish the riders face 257.5 flat kilometres. Following a 151.1 kilometres round through the desert, a 15.2 kilometres circuit in Doha is to be raced seven times. The local circuit - which is marked by nine shap turns, mostly roundaabouts - is located on The Pearl-Qatar.

Riders who have been in the Tour of Qatar before are aware of the fact strong winds are common in this part of the world. The latest weather forecasts predict strong northerly winds, which means headwind in the first part of the race, when the riders head for Al Khor. There they turn around and (should) enjoy tailwinds to Doha.

Tom Boonen is the most successful professional bicycle racer on Qatari soil. In the years 2006-2014 he did win 22 stages in the Tour of Qatar, while Alexander Kristoff won 6 out of 11 stages in the last two editions.

Mark Cavendish took both the overall in Qatar and the last World Cycling Championship that was contested on a flat circuit. In 2011 he catapulted himself into the rainbow jersey in Copenhagen.

Results WC road race for men.