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Doha - Australian Mark Renshaw landed his first stage race victory at the 10th edition of the Tour of Qatar here on Friday after the fifth and final stage, won by Italian tyro Andrea Guardini.
HTC-Highroad's Renshaw took control of the race after Thursday's fourth stage to take a six-second lead over compatriot Heinrich Haussler of Garmin-Cervelo.
And the former track specialist, who is the key lead-out man to British sprint king Mark Cavendish during the hectic bunch sprints, kept an eye on his main rival throughout the day to claim the biggest road win of his career.
"I've been lucky enough to ride for Australia on the track and in the Olympic Games, but on the road this is the best result I've ever had," said Renshaw, whose win prompted double celebrations a week after HTC's Ellen van Dijk won the women's Tour of Qatar.
"The last day was really a question of staying in the pack and making sure I stayed close to Haussler and at the head of the field.
"It's great to come here and get the win in Qatar, it's such a hard race and to follow on the win by the women's team makes it even more special."
Belgium's Greg Van Avermaet and Lithuanian Gediminas Bagdonas provided the day's early entertainment, the pair breaking free after kilometre 12 and going on to build a lead of over five minutes on the peloton.
But their 106km escapade came to an end just six kilometres from the end as the sprinters' teams drove the peloton towards the finish line.
Renshaw was promoted as his team's leader after Cavendish suffered injuries in a crash on the first stage.
However, despite the pair's bid to finish in a victory flurry, they had to sit up in the final 200 metres as Guardini powered over the line centimetres ahead of fellow Italian Francesco Chicchi.
Guardini, a first-year professional who won an impressive five stages at the recent Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia, said: "Even when I was crossing the line I wasn't sure I'd won. Francesco was coming back so fast.
"It's amazing what's happening in my first year as a pro. Five stages at Langkawi, and now to win in Qatar ahead of the best sprinters in the world is just unbelievable."
Former three-time champion Tom Boonen, who won stage one, finished the race in tatters -- a crash early in the stage leaving the Belgian with knocks to his right elbow and left knee, as well as ripped shorts.
It is not expected to rule him out of next week's Tour of Oman.
Results
Stage Five:
1. Andrea Guardini, Italy, Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli, 2 hours, 44 minutes, 6 seconds
2. Francesco Chicchi, Italy, Quick Step, same time
3. Theo Bos, Netherlands, Rabobank, same time
4. Dominique Rollin, Canada, FDJ, same time
5. Roger Kluge, Germany, Skil-Shimano, same time
6. Denis Galimzyanov, Russia, Katusha, same time
7. Tomas Vaitkus, Lithuania, Astana, same time
8. Russell Downing, Britain, Sky, same time
9. Heinrich Haussler, Germany, Garmin-Cervelo, same time
10. Michael Van Staeyen, Belgium, Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator, same time
11. Danilo Hondo, Germany, Lampre-ISD, same time
12. Daniele Bennati, Italy, Leopard Trek, same time
13. Gert Steegmans, Belgium, Quick Step, same time
14. Alexander Kristoff, Norway, BMC Racing, same time
15. Matteo Pelucchi, Italy, Geox-TMC, same time
16. Niko Eeckhout, Belgium, An Post-Sean Kelly, same time
17. Mark Renshaw, Australia, HTC-Highroad, same time
18. Luca Paolini, Italy, Katusha, same time
19. Mirco Lorenzetto, Italy, Astana, same time
20. Valentin Iglinskiy, Kazakhstan, Astana, same time
Final Classification:
1. Mark Renshaw, Australia, HTC-Highroad, 15 hours, 31 minutes, 4 seconds
2. Heinrich Haussler, Australia, Garmin-Cervelo, 8 seconds behind
3. Daniele Bennati, Italy, Leopard Trek, 17 seconds
4. Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni, Spain, Sky, 26 seconds
5. Roger Hammond, Britain, Garmin-Cervelo, 38 seconds
6. Jeremy Hunt, Britain, Sky, 39 seconds
7. Gabriel Rasch, Norway, Garmin-Cervelo, 42 seconds
8. Bernhard Eisel, Austria, HTC-Highroad, 1 minute, 5 seconds
9. Marcus Burghardt, Germany, BMC Racing, 1:33
10. Gert Steegmans, Belgium, Quick Step, 1:35
11. Johan Van Summeren, Belgium, Garmin-Cervelo, 1:40
12. Nikolas Maes, Belgium, Quick Step, 1:56
13. Stuart O'Grady, Australia, Leopard Trek, 4:39
14. Tom Boonen, Belgium, Quick Step, 4:45
15. Dominique Rollin, Canada, FDJ, 5:20
16. Maarten Wynants, Belgium, Rabobank, 5:33
17. Roger Kluge, Germany, Skil-Shimano, 5:36
18. Danilo Hondo, Germany, Lampre-ISD, same time
19. Denis Galimzyanov, Russia, Katusha, 6:00
20. Mirco Lorenzetto, Italy, Astana, 6:23
Team Classification:
1. Garmin-Cervelo, 46 hours, 34 minutes, 58 seconds
2. Leopard-Trek, 56 seconds behind
3. Quick Step Cycling Team, 4 minutes, 53 seconds
4. Sky, 6:54
5. HTC-Highroad, 7:38
6. Rabobank, 11:19
7. Katusha, 20:23
8. Astana, 28:00
9. Skil-Shimano, 31:40
10. FDJ, 34:45
