Canadian champion Svein Tuft was ORICA-GreenEDGE’s top finisher at yesterday’s stage three Tour of Qatar individual time trial in 24th position.

Tuft stopped the clock 42seconds in arrears of stage victor Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quick-Step) who out staged his more fancied rivals, including multiple world champion Fabian Cancellara and current world champion Bradley Wiggins.

“We didn’t come to Qatar with a favourite for the time trial as we did last year,” sport director Laurenzo Lapage said. “We knew Svein was our only chance to get a result as our other riders are not time trial specialists, but it’s a pretty packed TT field.”

Road captain Mathew Hayman, who finished one minute four seconds off the pace in 52th, now occupies the team’s highest overall position in 24th place at the halfway point of the Tour.

“Our focus is on the individual stages and we will continue to fight for all the stages to come to win one,” Lapage continued.

“I think we saw yesterday that we have a good team here with the power to compete with the best.”

As expected, the weather is playing a huge role each day, making for an unpredictable and entertaining race that has seen the leader’s jersey swap shoulders after every stage.

“The wind is the strongest I have ever seen in the years I have been here,” Lapage said. 

“It makes the race more stressful because everyone knows they have to be in the front all day in order not to be surprised.”