<p>Following HTC-Highroad's dominating performance in the Women's Tour of Qatar, the team will field a top-flight team of sprinters and all-rounders for the men's race, which starts Sunday. </p><p>
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"The HTC-Highroad Women's team have given us a great example to follow," says HTC-Highroad's Bernie Eisel, who won a stage in a bunch sprint of the Tour of Qatar back in 2006. "We've got a strong line-up here for the men's race, I know Cav is very motivated, and [Mark] Renshaw is flying as well. I'm feeling good too, Qatar is always a question of being ready for riding in the cross-winds and making it into the front groups when the splits happen."</p><p>
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HTC-Highroad sports director Valerio Piva adds, "The opening prologue in this year's race means it will be important to be ready from the word go, but over such a short distance the time differences between the favorites will be small and that will make the time bonuses in the following five stages decisive. </p><p>
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Mark [Cavendish] wasn't at 100 percent after his crash in the Tour Down Under, but he's recovered from that now so we'll see how he's going. But we've got plenty of other options here, too."</p><p>
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HTC-Highroad for Men's Tour of Qatar (Feb 6th - 11th): Lars Bak (Den); Matt Brammeier (Irl); Mark Cavendish (GB); Bernhard Eisel (Aut); Jan Ghyselinck (Bel); Patrick Gretsch (Ger); Mark Renshaw (Aus); Gatis Smukulis (Lat).</p>
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</p><p>
"The HTC-Highroad Women's team have given us a great example to follow," says HTC-Highroad's Bernie Eisel, who won a stage in a bunch sprint of the Tour of Qatar back in 2006. "We've got a strong line-up here for the men's race, I know Cav is very motivated, and [Mark] Renshaw is flying as well. I'm feeling good too, Qatar is always a question of being ready for riding in the cross-winds and making it into the front groups when the splits happen."</p><p>
</p><p>
HTC-Highroad sports director Valerio Piva adds, "The opening prologue in this year's race means it will be important to be ready from the word go, but over such a short distance the time differences between the favorites will be small and that will make the time bonuses in the following five stages decisive. </p><p>
</p><p>
Mark [Cavendish] wasn't at 100 percent after his crash in the Tour Down Under, but he's recovered from that now so we'll see how he's going. But we've got plenty of other options here, too."</p><p>
</p><p>
HTC-Highroad for Men's Tour of Qatar (Feb 6th - 11th): Lars Bak (Den); Matt Brammeier (Irl); Mark Cavendish (GB); Bernhard Eisel (Aut); Jan Ghyselinck (Bel); Patrick Gretsch (Ger); Mark Renshaw (Aus); Gatis Smukulis (Lat).</p>
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