Tom Boonen claimed his 12th career Tour of Qatar stage victory, pipping fellow Belgian Greg Van Avermaet to the line in a stage-two mass sprint.

Italian sprint specialist Danilo Napolitano of Lampre took third after the 137.5 kilometre trip from Al Zubarah to the Doha Golf Club, while Australian Christopher Sutton of Team Slipstream was fourth.

Boonen takes the leader's jersey from Quick Step team-mate and lead-out man Matteo Tosatto.

Dutch Quick Step rider Steven De Jongh is second in the overall classifications at nine seconds behind the 2005 world champion.

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Tom Boonen's Quick Step won the opening team trial of the Tour of Qatar for the second successive year.

Matteo Tosatto took the opening leader's jersey after crossing the line first for the victors, who caught a piece of luck when Kevin Hulsmans' rear tubular exploded - but only after he had completed the race.

Team Slipstream, led by British time trial specialist David Millar, claimed second in the six kilometre time trial through Doha.

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