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SPORT Tuesday 188 April 20172017 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26 PAGE | 27 Bryan wins Lewandowski set to Qatari track and field maiden US PGA face Madrid's shaky stars get set for Doha Tour trophy defence Diamond League Qatar Cross-Country Rally begins today Challenging route motorcycle and quad sections. QATAR4 CROSS-COUNTRY Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (pic- Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi A quality field of 32 tured) is still recovering from returns to Qatar to tackle RALLY cars, 13 motorcycles injury, but the Qatari has only the Qatar Cross-Country Leading starters and seven quads lies ever been beaten once on this Race for the first time in his Cars a daunting route of event – when he suffered an Peugeot 3008 DKR. 201 Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/ nearly 2,000km that engine failure on his Buggy in Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Toyota will take competitors 2013 – and the two-time Dakar Hilux Overdrive through a champion will be hoping to 203 Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU)/Timo Gottschalk (DEU) Mini John Coop- demanding, dusty bounce back into title conten- er Works Rally and sandy trail. tion over the four desert selective sections of his home 204 Khalid Al-Qassimi (ARE)/Khaled round of the FIA World Cup. Al-Kendi (ARE) Peugeot 3008 Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi DKR The Peninsula took advantage of Al Attiyah’s 205 Aron Domzala (POL)/Szymon accident in the recent Abu Dhabi Gospodarczyk (POL) Toyota Hilux he Qatar Cross-Coun- Desert Challenge and now has Overdrive try Rally gets a commanding lead in the series’ 206 Mohammed Abu Issa (QAT)/Xavi- underway with a standings after three rounds. er Panseri (FRA) Mini All4 Racing 4.85km super special The Abu Dhabi Racing driv- 207 Miroslav Zapletal (CZE)/Marek Sykora (SVK) Hummer H3 Evo VII stage at the Losail er’s Peugeot 3008 DKR arrived 208 Erik Van Loon (NLD)/Wouter Tmotocross facility within the at Losail on Monday morning Rosegaar (NLD) Toyota Hilux confines of the race circuit today. and the 2004 FIA Middle East Overdrive Ahead of a quality field of 32 rally champion will be hoping to 209 Martin Prokop (CZE)/Jan Tomanek cars, 13 motorcycles and seven collect as many points as possi- Austrian rider Matthias (CZE) Ford F-150 Evo quads lies a daunting route of ble on his first visit to this event, Walkner will be pushing for 214 Jakub Przygonski (POL)/Tom Col- nearly 2,000 kilometres that will although he has competed in the win in Qatar this week soul (BEL) Mini All4 Racing take competitors to the outer- Qatar’s round of the MERC on the Mobilex Racing’s Team’s on his KTM. most reaches of Qatar in a many occasions. Yuriy Sazonov and Yerden Bikes demanding, dusty and sandy trail “This is going to be an Shagirov, South Racing’s Jürgen 1 Pablo Quintanilla (CHI) Husqvarna laid on by officials at the Qatar entirely new experience for me Schröder and Fernando Alvarez, 450 Rally Motor and Motorcycle Federa- and I am looking forward to it,” Saudi Arabia’s Khalid Al Feraihi 2 Sam Sunderland (GBR) KTM 450 tion (QMMF). said Sheikh Khalid. and Abu Dhabi’s Yayha Al-Helai Rally The fourth round of the FIA “The terrain is different to add weight to the top of the for- 5 Pierre Alexander Renet (FRA) Husq- World Cup for Cross-Country Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but I am midable T1 field. varna 450 Rally Rallies and round two of the FIM here to gain experience in this Thomas Bell, France’s Yannick 6 Matthias Walkner (AUT) KTM 450 Cross-Country Rallies World format of racing and I hope it will Commagnac, Ahmed Al Malki and Rally Championship has attracted the be a successful experience.” the Qatar duo of Abdullah Al Rab- 7 Mohammed Al-Balooshi (ARE) KTM leading contenders in all the rel- The car category has strength ban and Mohammed Al Mannai 450 Rally Replica evant categories and the scene in depth: Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed round off the T1 entry. 8 Antoine Meo (FRA) KTM 450 Rally is set for a fascinating tussle for Al Rajhi drives the first of three Adel Abdulla is the defend- 9 Paolo Gonçalves (PRT) Honda 450 supremacy in the FIA T1 and T2 X-raid built Minis and Al Attiyah’s ing FIA T2 World Champion in CRF Rally car categories and both the FIM team at Overdrive Racing fields his Nissan Patrol, but the Qatari 11 David McBride (GBR) KTM 450 Rally additional Toyota Hiluxes for has endured a difficult start to Replica Aron Domzala, Erik van Loon the defence of his title. Saudi 12 Kevin Benavides (ARG) Honda 450 and Leeroy Poulter. Arabia’s Yasir Saeidan and Abu CRF Rally Qatar’s Mohammed Abu Issa Dhabi Racing’s Mansour Al Helai drives one of the Minis and the have stolen a march on the Doha Quads former quad category winner lies driver through the first three 101 Camelia Liparoti (ITA) Yamaha Rap- second in the Drivers’ Champi- rounds and the likes of Ahmed tor 700R onship after three rounds. Al-Shegawi, Mohammed Al Har- 111 Rafal Sonik (POL) Honda TRX 700 “This is exciting and a chal- qan, Rashid Al Mohannadi, Jamal 2004 and 2008 and is compet- Mannai, President of the QMMF. 115 Lucas Innocente (ARG) Yamaha lenge. It’s good to be in Fakhroo and Mohammed Al ing alongside Mansour Al-Helai Today, competitors will tackle Raptor 700R something faster, but this is not Meer have made the battle for in a T2 Toyota Land Cruiser. the 4.85km super special stage 116 Alexis Hernandez Ponce (PER) Yamaha Raptor 700R an easy rally and the conserva- top spot in the section for series \“We are delighted to welcome at the Losail motocross track 117 Rodolfo Schippers (GUA) Yamaha tion of the tyres will not be easy production cross-country vehi- so many international visitors to from 15.40hrs onwards. Cars Raptor 700R at all. It’s one more rally to add cles an intriguing prospect. Losail for the start of the Qatar entered in the National Baja fol- 119 Kees Koolen (NLD) Barren Racer One to my books.” Co-driver Chris Patterson Cross-Country Rally and wish low from 16.25hrs and the FIA 690 The Czech duo of Martin won five Qatar International ral- everyone a safe and successful cars will be last on to the course Prokop and Miroslav Zapletal, lies with Al-Attiyah between rally,” said Abdulrahman Al from 16.55hrs. Qatar Cup set for Al Rayyan eye revenge against Al Sadd promotional tour The Peninsula into the game against Al Sadd” added the 30 year old l Rayyan will be look- defender. The Peninsula host of visitors took photos with ing for revenge when Moussa also stressed that the trophy along with an oppor- Athey take on Al Sadd in his Al Rayyan side have a good he 2017 Qatar Cup is set tunity to get up and close with the Qatar Cup semi-final at Al chance to overcoming the to kick-off on Thursday the Qatar Cup. Sadd Stadium on Thursday, odds against Al Sadd. Tevening with Al Sadd tak- The tour is also set to take says defender Moussa Haroon “We have every chance to ing on rivals Al Rayyan in the in a number of different loca- (pictured). beat Al Sadd we can do it. first semi-final, followed on Fri- tions across Qatar including “The Qatar Cup is highly Despite losing to Al Sadd in the day evening when reigning local schools, malls, key spon- sought after and all four sides league we can defeat them; Qatar Stars League (QSL) sors and tourist attractions. have a chance of winning. The anything can happen in cup Champions Lekhwiya will face Players from the Qatar Cup knock-out format means you football.” off against El Jaish in the sec- teams will also be present at have no room for error, and I “All four sides have a ond semi-final. selected locations on the tour, expect the match against Al chance to lift the Qatar Cup In the first semi-final, Al which has an overall aim of cel- Sadd to be an exciting affair. this season. Form in the league Rayyan which finished third in ebrating the tournament whilst We have lost twice in the does not count in the Qatar the league will be looking for also encouraging fans to come league to Al Sadd and we will Cup and any side can beat revenge against Al Sadd. along to the two semi-finals and be hoping to make up for this anyone on the day. This is part Michael Laudrup side lost showpiece final which is set to in the Qatar Cup," said Haroon of the reason why the Qatar both the matches of this years take place on April 29 at Al Sadd ahead of Lions' crunch match. Cup is such an exciting tour- QSL to Al Sadd. Stadium. Last year's Qatar Stars nament as a player” added Ahead of the tournament, Speaking at the launch of League winners lost both the Moussa when asked about the the Qatar Cup trophy is the trophy tour, Nasser Al matches, going down by 5-0 other top four sides in the embarking on a promotional Kuwari Community relations in the first and in the return competition. tour across the state of Qatar to officer at the QSL said; “The match again succumbed by “You all have a vital role build excitement for the end of promotional tour will offer the 4-1 scoreline.