Arndt leads in Qatar

Arndt did not contest the finish of the shortened 101.5km second stage that saw German compatriot Trixi Worrack (Specialized-lululemon) take line honours after the pair attacked in the final of a two-lap finishing circuit.

“We actually said that she can win the stage and I have the yellow jersey because I was pretty tired. I couldn’t contribute as much,” Arndt said post-race.

Adrianna Visser (Skil-1t4i) came in 2min 20sec behind the race winner to round out the podium.

Arndt now has a narrow two second buffer over Worrack ahead of tonight’s (AEDT) Katara Cultural Village finale with former tour leader Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) a further 2min 14sec off the pace.

The 35-year-old Arndt entered the penultimate stage third overall and nine seconds behind two-time tour champion Wild but picked up crucial times bonuses at both intermediate sprints to put her and the first Australian-based women’s pro team in pole position.

“The bonus sprints they’re very important,” Arndt said.

“There was the second bonus sprint and after that I didn’t feel that great anymore. I was cramping and I almost gave up but then Loes (Gunnewijk) said you have to go and I got very angry at her and that made me go faster.”

Arndt was in the main break of the day initially with nine others in what was almost a case of déjà vu. The peloton split into several groups amidst blustery conditions shortly after the gun sounded.

The 10 leaders including Arndt and her teammates Gunnewijk and Alexis Rhodes as well as Specialized-lululemon’s Worrack, Chloe Hosking and Ellen Van Dijk plus Wild, Sarah Duster (Stichting Rabo), Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini Giambenini) and Regina Bruins (Skil-1t4i) escaped within the first 10km of the stage.

However, Rhodes punctured and lost contact with the group not long after it was established. It was a gutsy effort from the 27-year-old Rhodes as well as Arndt, Worrack, Gunnewijk, Hosking, Wild and Van Dijk who were in the decisive breakaway the day before.

The nine leaders worked together in strong cross winds recording a maximum time gap of about 1min 30sec shortly after the halfway mark around where Guderzo was dropped. But the break was caught by a chase group of about 40 within the final 20km.

With one lap to go Visser, Wild, Arndt and Worrack were away before the latter two made their winning move shortly afterwards.

“I attacked and I saw that she was 100m behind me then I waited and then we started,” Worrack said.

“It doesn’t make sense to go along because it’s so windy you need to have two at least and with Judith it’s really good to work, I can’t imagine anyone better.”

The second stage of the tour beginning at the Al Zubara Fort, near an archaeological site, was cut from 114.5km because of road works on part of the course. The start was therefore also delayed.

Wild currently leads the points classification with Australian sprinter Hosking again in charge of the best young rider competition.

The fourth edition of the Ladies Tour of Qatar concludes with a 104.5km road race at the Katara Cultural Village before the six-stage men’s Tour of Qatar commences on 5 February.

Stage 2: 101.5km, Al Zubara Fort to Madinat Al Shama
1 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Team Specialized-lululemon 3hr 05min 37sec
2 Judith Arndt (Ger) GreenEdge-AIS
3 Adriana Visser (Ned) Skil-1t4i 0:02:20
4 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Netherlands
5 Shelley Olds (USA) United States 0:02:49
6 Martine Bras (Ned) Netherlands 0:02:51
7 Marta Bastianelli (Ita) MCipollini Giambenini
8 Latoya Brulee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012
9 Jessie Maclean (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS
10 Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Italy

General classification
1 Judith Arndt (Ger) GreenEdge-AIS 5:22:12
2 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Team Specialized lululemon 0:00:02
3 Kirsten Wild (Ned) Netherlands 0:02:16
4 Elen Van Dijk (Ned) Team Specialized lululemon 0:02:59
5 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Team Specialized lululemon 0:03:00
6 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS 0:03:06
7 Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) GreenEdge-AIS
8 Jessie Maclean (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS 0:05:22
9 Elena Cecchini (Ita) MCipollini Giambenini
10 Sarah Düster (Ger) Stichting Rabo Women

Sophie Smith is in Qatar as a guest of Amaury Sport Organisation

Twitter: @SophieSmith86