Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team played their cards very well on today’s stage of Tour of Qatar. With Guillaume Van Keirsbulck and Niki Terpstra in the five man breakaway and Tom Boonen in the main group behind, the advantage was theirs going into the final kilometres.

I looked like the five-man breakaway might be caught for a bunch sprint finale with 18 km to go and the gap at 20 seconds. However, just a few kilometers later the gap was back up to 32 seconds. The same happened in the final 7 kilometers. The gap hovered at about 22" with 7km to go, but grew to 31" at 5km to go.

Van Keirsbulck sacrificed his own chances in the final to ensure Terpstra had a chance to contest the stage, as it looked like the sprint for victory would be into a tough headwind.  In the final kilometer Martin Elmiger (IAM cycling) attacked first, but Terpstra immediately reacted and jumped on his wheel.

Terpstra then launched his own sprint and was able to hold everyone off for the first OPQS road win of 2014. Roelandts was 2nd and Schar finished in 3rd place. Van Keirsbulck, after his tremendous effort helping Terpstra, was also 5th and teammate Tom Boonen was 6th, winning the group sprint.

Terpstra says the first part of the stage was the hardest, due to the tough crosswind. Fighting against the wind is always hard, but the managed to hold the gap until the finish line.

"First part of the stage was crosswinds so actually that was the hardest part," Terpstra said. "In the end we had front wind, so the speed was going down, but then we attacked with five riders. Luckily we could keep a small gap until the finish. Fighting against the wind is always hard. But in the end we made it,” he says to the OPQS webpage.

He thanks Guillaume Van Keirsbulck for his hard work at the end of the stage. He used all his energy on helping Terpstra to the win.

“I'm really happy Guillaume was in the front group with me. He worked really hard. He gave me some motivation and in the end I still had enough energy to do the sprint and it worked out well. So I have to say thanks to him for using all his energy to help give me the best chance for a victory."

All in all it was just a perfect day for OPQS. They cooperated very well and that created the victory at the end.

"The team was great all day," Terpstra said. "When we had an echelon after 55km we were there with five riders. A big group came back, but not everyone. Then in the final after the bonus sprint we got in a breakaway of five. In that group we participated really well together, especially Guillaume. What he did in the last kilometer was perfect for me and I'm happy I could finish the job."

Van Keirsbulck said he truly gave everything to help his teammate in the breakaway.

"It was pretty windy today," Van Keirsbulck said. "But, I had a good feeling. When me and Niki were in the break I asked him if he felt good and he said yes. So, then I started riding until I was dead. At one point I lost them for about 20 meters, but not more, so I tried to come back. I managed to do it and then tried to attack, which put Niki in a perfect position because the others had to react and use energy. I'm really happy we won today and I could be a big part of it."

CEO Patrick Lefevere is very happy about the victory of today and says the team is very strong.

"It's always a pleasure to get the first victory of the year," Lefevere said. "Today the team was strong. They took the initiative and Niki had a great win, so of course with this I am happy."