Tour of Qatar (preview)

Telephone squad continues Asian tournee at 'echelons' race' from Sunday, with five road stages and a 10km TT around the Lusail Circuit

Less than 24 hours after finishing with the Dubai Tour, a second Movistar Team roster directed by Chente García Acosta will join two of the Blues present in the UAE to make their maiden appearance at the Tour of Qatar. For the first time in fourteen editions, Eusebio Unzué's squad will feature in a flat, windy course (Sunday 8 to Friday 13) whose only point of variety between road stages will be the 10km Lusail Circuit TT on Tuesday 10.

Alejandro Valverde and Pablo Lastras will be the two riders in both races, part of a more explosive, sprinting group than in Dubai. Andrey Amador is set to make his 2015 debut in Qatar, with German Jasha Sütterlin and Spaniards José Joaquín Rojas, Enrique Sanz, Imanol Erviti and Fran Ventoso, winner of stage one in 2004 in his professional debut, completing the eight-man lineup.