Jurgen Roelandts was relegated to 3rd in today's fourth stage of the Tour of Qatar but remains the closest rival to the mighty Omega Pharma-Quick Step team. However, the Belgian admits defeat and is now more focused on winning a stage with André Greipel.

Ever since being beaten by Niki Terpstra in the 1st stage of the Tour of Qatar, Jurgen Roelandts has found himself as the big rival for the strong Omega Pharma-Quick Step team and after today's 4th stage, the Belgian is still in that position. Despite picking up 3 bonus seconds in the two intermediates sprints, however, he fell back into 3rd as the stage win for Tom Boonen catapulted the quadruple winner into 2nd overall.

Roelandts reduced his deficit to Terpstra to 20 seconds but with just two stages to go and Omega Pharma-Quick Step showing exceptional condition, the Belgian admits that the overall win is now no longer within reach. Instead, his focus will turn to his role as the final lead-out man for André Greipel, with the team's goal now being a stage win for their German sprinter.

They got close in today's second stage as Roelandts and Marcel Sieberg delivered Greipel perfectly for the sprint but in a photo finish he was narrowly edged out by Boonen. With two potential bunch sprints still to come, Roelandts will now go all out to make Greipel take his first ever win in Qatar.

"Right from the start it was going fast," he said. "You had to make sure to be in front. I picked up some bonification seconds along the way, but Tom Boonen has passed me in GC. We were able to place André Greipel well for the sprint, Boonen was just a bit faster.

"I think the GC is almost made up. The main goal is to win a stage with the team. It will be difficult to win the overall, although you never know with the echelons. You have to be in the first group, in that case I will take part again in the intermediate sprints. I'm satisfied with my current shape. Of course my main goals are still to come later this season."

Roelandts' main goals are the cobbled classics where he hopes to improve on last year's 3rd place in the Tour of Flanders.

Starting at 12.45 CET you can follow tomorrow's stage on CyclingQuotes.com/live. You can read our preview here.