February 14, 2017 (Naseem Park, Oman) – A year after a first finish at Naseem Park, again, there was no stopping Alexander Kristoff. In an expected bunched sprint finish, the Norwegian beat Italians Sbaragli and Colbrelli to the line to capture his fifth stage success on the Tour of Oman. Unlike Tom Boonen who suffers a crash during the final sprint, it was a fine day for the Katusha squad that had worked hard to control the five escapees of the day, before their sprinter delivered the goods on the final straight. Kristoff becomes the first leader of this 8th edition of the race and will be wearing the Red Jersey for tomorrow’s stage 2.
Two Canadians are racing this year’s edition of Oman. Alex Cataford (UnitedHealthcare) finished 52nd on the same time was Kristoff, while Hugo Houle (AG2R) finished 142nd, 4:03 back. Cataford’s teammate Lucas Sebastian Haedo finished 5th, placing him in a strong position headed into the upcoming stages.
The sun came out just in time for the start of stage 1 of the Tour of Oman as the 143 riders gathered by the picturesque Sawadi Beach. On the menu: 176.5 kms of flat roads for a long loop before returning towards the coast and heading to Naseem Park, just west of Muscate. After only three kilometres of this 8th edition, five men managed to break away from the pack: Warbasse (ABS), De Gendt (SVB), Marangoni (NIP), Fonzi (WIL) and Masson (WVA). Not too concerned by this early break, the pack took it easy and the gap grew to 3’30 at km 20.
At the first intermediate sprint (km 81.5) claimed by De Gendt ahead of Fonzi and Warbasse, the pack had moved closer, still remaining 2’25 adrift. The second bonus sprint (km 49) was again won by De Gendt ahead of Fonzi while the pack was 1’20 behind. Guaranteed to capture the most aggressive rider’s jersey at the end of the day, De Gendt decided to stop his effort at km 146. Fonzi also called it quits leaving three men in the lead with a 1’05 advantage and 25kms to go.
As the pack moved closer to the leaders, a crash occurred sending several riders to the ground including promising Frenchman Guillaume Martin (WGG). Thankfully they all managed to move back in the peloton. With 10kms to go, the front three only had a 10” advantage and were eventually caught minutes later. While all the big sprinting teams moved towards the front of the pack, stage contender Sonny Colbrelli (TBM) suffered a puncture. It took the Italian and his Bahrain-Merida team mates a big effort to move back in the pack for the final bunched sprint.
On the final long straight, drama occurred as Tom Boonen (QST) was sent to the ground, thankfuly not too badly hurt but bidding farewell to a possible win. Like a year ago at Naseem Park, finish of the 3rd day in 2016, there was no stopping Alexander Kristoff. Victorious of a stage at L’Etoile de Bessèges this season, the Norwegian captures a second success this season beating KristianSbaragli (DDD) and Colbrelli to the line.
Thanks to his fifth victory in Oman, Kristoff conquers the overall leader’s Red Jersey. He leads the GC with a 4” advantage over Sbaragli and 6” over Colbrelli, and also claims the points classification leadership. Despite being caught by the pack in the final moments of the day, Aimé De Gendt can be satisfied, not only with the Most Aggressive riders’ jersey, but also with the lead of the best young riders’ standings.
Results
Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin 3:46:29
Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data
Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Aqua Blue Sport
Sebastian Haedo (Arg) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Roy Jans (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Sacha Modolo (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Marko Kump (Slo) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Eduard Grosu (Rom) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Adam Blythe (Gbr) Aqua Blue Sport
Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors
Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb
Michael Morkov (Den) Katusha-Alpecin
Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data
Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
Mekseb Debesay (Eri) Dimension Data
Rui Costa (Por) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Jay Robert Thomson (Rsa) Dimension Data
Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Sunweb
Janier Acevedo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Lawrence Warbasse (USA) Aqua Blue Sport
Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension Data
Annas Ait el Abdia (Mar) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Delio Fernandez (Esp) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Rafael Andriato (Bra) Wilier Triestina
Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
Julian Arredondo (Col) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data
Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
David De La Cruz (Esp) Quick-Step Floors
Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Martin Laas (Est) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Mathias Frank (Sui) AG2R La Mondiale
Yousif Mirza Alhammadi (UAE) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Stijn Steels (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Alexander Cataford (Can) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Laurens De Plus (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Rein Taaramäe (Est) Katusha-Alpecin
Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Nikolay Mihaylov (Bul) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors
Lukas Spengler (Sui) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Olivier Pardini (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Gavin Mannion (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Patryk Stosz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Federico Zurlo (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Jakub Kaczmarek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Stefan Küng (Sui) BMC Racing Team
Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
Gregory Habeaux (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb
Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Bahrain-Merida
Lachlan Norris (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
Julien Stassen (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Daniel Pearson (Gbr) Aqua Blue Sport
Kilian Frankiny (Sui) BMC Racing Team
Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Wilier Triestina
Thomas Deruette (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
John Anderson Rodriguez (Col) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Reto Hollenstein (Sui) Katusha-Alpecin
Lachlan Morton (Aus) Dimension Data
Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Giuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Nikita Stalnov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Andrew Fenn (Gbr) Aqua Blue Sport
Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
Marco Marcato (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Martin Elmiger (Sui) BMC Racing Team
Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
Mark Christian (Gbr) Aqua Blue Sport
Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Meiyin Wang (Chn) Bahrain-Merida
Kazushige Kuboki (Jpn) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
Frantisek Sisr (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Christophe Noppe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team
Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) AG2R La Mondiale
Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-Alpecin
Daniel Diaz (Arg) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Aqua Blue Sport
Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Sunweb
Thierry Hupond (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Sunweb
Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Nicola Bagioli (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
Alberto Cecchin (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Sunweb
Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Nippo-Vini Fantini 0:54
Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini 0:56
Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Sunweb 1:09
Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 1:23
Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step Floors
Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 1:39
Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 1:58
Stefan Denifl (Aut) Aqua Blue Sport 0
Michal Paluta (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Christophe Masson (Fra) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect 3:14
Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 3:26
Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Bahrain-Merida 4:01
Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale 4:03
Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 8:45
GC after Stage 1
Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin 3:46:19
Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data 0:04
Aime De Gendt (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:06
Giuseppe Fonzi (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Lawrence Warbasse (USA) Aqua Blue Sport 0:09
Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Aqua Blue Sport 0:10
Sebastian Haedo (Arg) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Roy Jans (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Sacha Modolo (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Manuel Belletti (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Marko Kump (Slo) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Eduard Grosu (Rom) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Adam Blythe (Gbr) Aqua Blue Sport
Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step Floors
Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb
Michael Morkov (Den) Katusha-Alpecin
Yves Lampaert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data
Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
Mekseb Debesay (Eri) Dimension Data
Rui Costa (Por) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Jay Robert Thomson (Rsa) Dimension Data
Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Sunweb
Janier Acevedo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension Data
Annas Ait el Abdia (Mar) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Delio Fernandez (Esp) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Rafael Andriato (Bra) Wilier Triestina
Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
Julian Arredondo (Col) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data
Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
David De La Cruz (Esp) Quick-Step Floors
Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Martin Laas (Est) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Mathias Frank (Sui) AG2R La Mondiale
Yousif Mirza Alhammadi (UAE) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Stijn Steels (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Piet Allegaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Alexander Cataford (Can) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Laurens De Plus (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
Rein Taaramäe (Est) Katusha-Alpecin
Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Nikolay Mihaylov (Bul) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors
Lukas Spengler (Sui) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Olivier Pardini (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Gavin Mannion (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Patryk Stosz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Federico Zurlo (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Jakub Kaczmarek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Stefan Küng (Sui) BMC Racing Team
Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
Gregory Habeaux (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb
Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Bahrain-Merida
Lachlan Norris (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
Julien Stassen (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
Daniel Pearson (Gbr) Aqua Blue Sport
Kilian Frankiny (Sui) BMC Racing Team
Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Wilier Triestina
Thomas Deruette (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
John Anderson Rodriguez (Col) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Reto Hollenstein (Sui) Katusha-Alpecin
Lachlan Morton (Aus) Dimension Data
Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Nikita Stalnov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Andrew Fenn (Gbr) Aqua Blue Sport
Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
Marco Marcato (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Martin Elmiger (Sui) BMC Racing Team
Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
Mark Christian (Gbr) Aqua Blue Sport
Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
Meiyin Wang (Chn) Bahrain-Merida
Kazushige Kuboki (Jpn) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
Frantisek Sisr (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Christophe Noppe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise
Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team
Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) AG2R La Mondiale
Marco Haller (Aut) Katusha-Alpecin
Daniel Diaz (Arg) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Matthew Brammeier (Irl) Aqua Blue Sport
Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Sunweb
Thierry Hupond (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
Wesley Kreder (Ned) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Sunweb
Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Nicola Bagioli (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini
Jenthe Biermans (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
Alberto Cecchin (Ita) Wilier Triestina
Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Sunweb
Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi
Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step Floors
Stefan Denifl (Aut) Aqua Blue Sport
Michal Paluta (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Nippo-Vini Fantini 1:04
Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo-Vini Fantini 1:06
Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Sunweb 1:19
Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 1:33
Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 1:49
Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 2:08
Christophe Masson (Fra) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect 3:24
Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise 3:36
Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Bahrain-Merida 4:11
Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale 4:13
Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 8:55