Boonen leads into Qatar final stage

DOHA, Qatar -- Belgium's Tom Boonen retained the overall leader's yellow jersey in the Tour of Qatar after finishing third in Thursday's 170-kilometer fifth stage around Al Khor.

The leg was won by Danilo Napolitano of the Lampre team in a sprint finish in three hours 49 minutes and 14 seconds.

Another Italian Alberto Loddo was second ahead of Quick Step star Boonen who has a lead of 17 seconds over Steven De Jongh of the Netherlands with Belgian Greg Van Avermaet a further 13 seconds adrift.

"I didn't think I'd be able to beat Tom as he has been so far ahead of the game," said Napolitano.

"Two kilometers out from the line I stuck to Boonen's wheel and then when Steven De Jongh was getting set to spring his leader with 200 metres to go. Then that's the last they saw of me," smiled the Italian.

Former world champion Boonen has made the early season race in Qatar his own in recent years and has racked up 13 stage wins in the Gulf state.

Friday's final stage is a 120km ride from Al Wakra to Doha.

Back in Italy, the Lampre cycling team was subjected to another round of doping tests on Thursday following a late night blitz at the squad's hotel earlier in the week.

Team spokesman Andrea Appiani said International Cycling Union inspectors showed up while the team was eating breakfast at its training base in Tuscany.

Italian Olympic Committee inspectors visited the team's hotel on Monday when seven of the squad's riders -- including 2004 Giro d'Italia champion Damiano Cunego and last season's Tour of Flanders winner Alessandro Ballan -- were tested late into the night. E-mail to a friend