Special rules

The 2010 Tour of Qatar is organised by the Qatar Cycling Federation with technical and sports-related assistance from Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) under International Cycling Union regulations. It will take place from Sunday 7^th February 2010 to Friday 12^th February 2010 and will comprises six stages.

This event is restricted to athletes in the Elite Men's category. It is a Class-1 event on the Continental Asian calendar and awards points as follows (as per UCI regulations article 2.11.014):

• General individual classification: 80 - 56 - 32 - 24 - 20 - 16 - 12 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 3 points to the first classified riders,
• Stage winners: 16 - 11 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 2 points to the first 6 classified riders,
• Winner’s jersey at the end of each stage: 8 points.

As per UCI regulations article 2.1.005, this event is open to:

• UCI Pro Team,
• Professional continental teams,
• Continental teams,
• National teams.

As per article 2.2.003, teams will count a minimum of 5 cyclists and a maximum of 8 cyclists.

Race Headquarters will be open on Saturday 6^th February 2010 from 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm at the Doha Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Team managers will be welcome to claim jersey numbers from 2.30 pm to 4.45 pm.

The team managers' meeting, held pursuant to UCI regulations article 1.2.087 in the presence of members of th college of stewards, will be held on Saturday 6^th February 2010 at 5.00 pm at the Doha Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Race information will be broadcast on “Radio-Tour” (162.150 MHz).

Neutral technical support will be provided by Mavic, with 3 vehicles.

The finish deadline for each stage is the equivalent to 12% later than the winner’s time.

Exceptional situations may be arbitrated by the College of Stewards after consultation with race management.

Contenders start every 3 minutes in the order established by race management.

Stage classifications for each team are based on the time that the 5^th contender took to cross the finish line. All cyclists in the team are awarded the same time if they arrive at the same time or earlier.

In the general individual classification, times are allotted as follows:

• Real time for the 5^th contender in each team for all contenders falling under the above rule.
• Real time for all contenders who cross the finish line later.

In the general team classification, the real time of the 5^th contender in each team is taken into account.

There are no finish deadlines in this stage. All contenders are required to finish the stage.

TOTAL : 7,100 €

Time bonuses (applied only on the general individual classification) are awarded for all stages (art. 2.6.019).

They concern intermediate sprints and stage finishes, and are awarded as follows:

• 3”, 2” and 1” will be awarded in order of arrival to the first three classified riders in intermediate sprints.
• 10”, 6” and 4” will be awarded in order to the first three classified riders to cross a stage finish line.

The general individual classification on time is calculated on the basis on the sum of the times recorded in each of the stages, minus bonuses and plus penalties as defined in UCI regulations article 2.6.014.

The leader of the general individual classification on time will wear a golden jersey.

Total prize money for the General Individual Classification on Time: 90,685 €

A classification by points is calculated on the basis of the sum of the points obtained in each of the stages, as well as the intermediate sprints, as per UCI regulations article 2.6.017.

Points for the 2 intermediate sprints in each stage will be awarded as follows:

• 3, 2 and 1 points will be awarded to the first 3 classified riders.

Points for each stage will be awarded as follows:

• 30, 27, 25, 23, 21, 19, 17, 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points willl be awarded to the first 20 classified ridres.

The leader of the classification by points will wear a silver jersey.

In the event of a tie in the general individual classification by points, the following criteria shall be applied until the riders are separated:

• Number of stage wins,
• Number of intermediate-sprint wins,
• General individual classification on time.

To be entitled to final general classification prizes, contenders have to complete the entire race within regulatory time.

Prizes for classification by points are as follows:

Final general classification:

• 1^st: 1,500 €
• 2^nd: 1,200 €
• 3^rd: 1,000 €
• 4^th: 800 €
• 5^th: 600 €

TOTAL: 5,100 €

Total prize money for the classification by points: 5,100 €

Only riders born on or after 1^st January 1985 may take part in the Young rider classification.

The leader in the Young rider classification will wear a blue jersey.

Prizes for the Young rider classification are as follows:

• 1^st: 1,500 €
• 2^nd: 1,200 €
• 3^rd: 1,000 €
• 4^th: 800 €
• 5^th: 600 €

TOTAL: 5,100 €

Total prize money for the Young rider classification: 5,100 €

As per UCI regulations article 2.6.016, the team classification for the day is calculated on the basis of the sum of the three best individual times from each team. In the event of a tie, the teams shall be separated by the sum of the places acquired by their three best placed riders on the stage. If teams are still tied, they shall be separated by the placing of their best rider in the stage classification.

The general team classification is calculated on the basis of the sum of the times in the team time trial and the three best individual times from each team in each stage ridden.

In the event of a tie, the following criteria shall be applied until the teams are separated:

• Number of first places in the daily team classification,
• Number of second places in the daily team classification, and so on.

If there is still a tie, the teams shall be separated by the placing of their best rider in the general individual classification.

Any team with fewer than 3 cyclists will be eliminated from the general team classification.

Prizes awarded for the general team classification are as follows:

• 1^st: 1,500 €
• 2^nd: 1,200 €
• 3^rd: 1,000 €
• 4^th: 800 €
• 5^th: 600 €

TOTAL: 5,100 €

Total prize money for the general team classification: 5,100 €

Total prize money for the 2010 Tour of Qatar is as follows:

• General individual classification on time: 90,685 €
• Young rider classification: 5,100 €
• Classification by points: 5,100 €
• Team classification: 5,100 €

Total prize and bonus money: 105,985 €

Anti-doping tests will take place at the Doha Ritz Carlton Hotel under Qatar Cycling Federation regulations.

After the first team time trial stage, the following contenders are required to report:

• The 8 riders in the team that won the stage,
• The leader in the general individual classification,
• The leader in the young rider classification.

For the other stages, the following contenders are required to report:

• The stage winner,
• The leader in the general individual classification,
• The leader in the classification by points,
• The leader in the young rider classification.

After the final stage, the following contenders are required to report:

• The stage winner,
• The top 3 riders in the general individual classification,
• The leader in the classification by points,
• The leader in the young rider classification.
• The 8 riders and the Team Manager of the winning team in the general team classification.

The leader in each classification must wear the corresponding leader jersey.

If a rider is leader in several classifications, the order of priority for the wearing of jerseys is as follows:

• General classification on time,
• Classification by points,
• Young rider classification.

Penalties comply with UCI regulations.