<p>Ellen Van Dijk and HTC-Highroad made a clean sweep in the final classification of the Tour of Qatar on Friday, scooping the overall, the Points and Best Young Rider prizes with Van Dijk, as well as the teams prize in their first race of the season.</p><p>
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HTC-Highroad also took second overall with Charlotte Becker, fourth with Adrie Visser and tenth with Chloe Hosking.</p><p>
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"It's the first time I've won a stage race in my career and this is a great one to be the first" Van Dijk said. "It was wonderful how the whole team worked for me and kept the race under control. There was a bunch sprint on this last stage, but I was so focussed on the overall I didn't go for it at all."</p><p>
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"Even though I was pretty nervous, the times were very tight, there were a lot of crashes and we couldn't relax until I crossed the finishing line," she added.</p><p>
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"It's great for me and great for the team to start the season like this. It's fantastic the way we work together and it's sure to be a good year."</p><p>
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Just as with her stage win on Thursday, Van Dijk's dedication for the overall victory went to her team-mate Carla Swart.</p><p>
</p><p>
"We really wanted to win here for her, and to be able to do so was very important for me and for the team."</p><p>
</p><p>
After the Tour of Qatar, Van Dijk's next big target will be the World track Championships in Holland in March, where she will be doing both the team and individual pursuit.</p>
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</p><p>
HTC-Highroad also took second overall with Charlotte Becker, fourth with Adrie Visser and tenth with Chloe Hosking.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It's the first time I've won a stage race in my career and this is a great one to be the first" Van Dijk said. "It was wonderful how the whole team worked for me and kept the race under control. There was a bunch sprint on this last stage, but I was so focussed on the overall I didn't go for it at all."</p><p>
</p><p>
"Even though I was pretty nervous, the times were very tight, there were a lot of crashes and we couldn't relax until I crossed the finishing line," she added.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It's great for me and great for the team to start the season like this. It's fantastic the way we work together and it's sure to be a good year."</p><p>
</p><p>
Just as with her stage win on Thursday, Van Dijk's dedication for the overall victory went to her team-mate Carla Swart.</p><p>
</p><p>
"We really wanted to win here for her, and to be able to do so was very important for me and for the team."</p><p>
</p><p>
After the Tour of Qatar, Van Dijk's next big target will be the World track Championships in Holland in March, where she will be doing both the team and individual pursuit.</p>
More...