Intense pain forced Ballan to return to the operation table.

Mark Cavendish powers to fourth consecutive stage victory in 2013 Tour of Qatar and takes overall race victory ahead of Brent Bookwalter and Taylor Phinney.

Stage 3 of the 2013 Tour of Qatar finished in a chaotic bunch sprint where Team Omega Pharma-QuickStep's former World Champion Mark Cavendish was the fastest man across the finish line.

Team BMC Racing took its second consecutive victory in this year's Tour of Qatar when it dominated and won today's stage 2 team time trial. The BMC team thereby succeeded at increasing Brent Bookwalter's overall race lead.

BMC Racing Team powers to team time trial victory in 2013 Tour of Qatar; Team BMC Racing's Brent Bookwalter increases overall Tour of Qatar lead.

Team BMC Racing's American Brent Bookwalter managed to stay away from two breakaway companions and a frantically chasing peloton to take the victory in stage 1 of the 2013 Tour of Qatar.

Team BMC Racing's Brent Bookwalter won the breakaway sprint to the finish line beating breakaway group companions and former Team BMC riders Martin Elmiger (IAM Pro Cycling) and Gregory Rast (Team RadioShack).

The former president and current honorary president of cycling's governing body says there was no conflict of interest when he invested in a brokerage account later linked to Lance Armstrong's team owner.

Team BMC Racing's Alessandro Ballan is expected to be released from a Spanish hospital early next week. Ballan will return to Italy to be reunited with his family.

Earlier today it was reported that Team BMC Racing's Alessandro Ballan was released from intensive care in the hospital in Spain today. Ballan, however, remains hospitalized as he recovers from injuries suffered in a high speed crash during training last week.