2013 Tour of Qatar winner, Mark Cavendish will be among the favourites in 2016 following his transfer from Etixx-Quick Step to Dimension Data. He will be led out by 2011 Tour ofQatar victor Mark Renshaw who returns to Doha with new ambitions.

“The Tour of Qatar win is the biggest of my career. To win the general classification in a stage race is something rather difficult to do, especially for a rider like myself. I am very proud to have this among my achievements.” In the early days of his career, Mark Renshaw was catalogued as a sprinter with FDJ in 2004, but soon after he specialized in sprint lead outs, enjoying great success at the service of Mark Cavendish over their shared years at HTC-Columbia (2009-2011). Back together the past two seasons in the colours of Etixx-Quick Step, Mark and Mark are now members of the African Dimension Data team.

“We will be there to win stages and the general classification”, warns the 33-year old Australian, designating his team mate as team leader. “The race will be different without our former team Etixx-Quick Step (which has won eight of the last ten editions of the Tour of Qatar), but it won’t be any easier because the peloton is very deep and full of motivated riders. It is an important race for the favourites of the classics like Alexander Kristoff and Greg van Avermaet.”

“In fact, I haven’t been back to Qatar since the year following my victory, in 2012”, says Renshaw. “I was either with a team (Rabobank) that didn’t participate in the race, or at Etixx-Quick Step, where the Belgian riders were so eager to go there were not enough places for everyone. I am thrilled to return to Qatar. The first time I went, I didn’t know what to expect. I soon understood the specific characteristics of the race when, right from the opening day, the peloton even split before the actual start of the race was given! The motivation of the riders on this event is huge. It is a hard race, very windy, which only suits a handful of riders who know how to put themselves into a good place during the race and sprint to the finish. I love this race, I look forward to returning.” So to sum up the Tour of Qatar: a story about some particularly motivated men. Like the two Marks, the British sprinter and his Australian lead out, team mates and accomplices.