André Greipel survived the climbing in the third stage of the Tour of Oman to take his second win of the race and reclaim the red leader's jersey. We have already posted several results and have gathered a few more below.

 

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha 35th, s.t.)

"After the last climb I was a little bit behind the group, but at the descent I managed to come back into the group of leaders. I tried to find a good position, but it was too close to the finish so in fact the sprint didn’t work out. However, I am happy with the stage. Last year in this stage I was dropped from the group, and now I was almost on par with the climbers. This is a very good sign before the classics season."

 

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha, 32nd s.t.)

"The stage was very calm and without any problem. The team was great and I had good feelings in the race. I felt confident. Let’s see what will happen in the next days."

 

Torsten Schmidt (sports director Katusha whose best rider was Joaquim Rodriguez in 32nd)

"The main goal for us at this stage was to provide support and help to our leaders, Joaquim Rodriguez and Daniel Moreno, throughout the race so that they could finish without any problems in the group of leaders. Today’s stage did not really suit us: too hard for a sprinter like Alexander Kristoff and climbs too short for our leaders Purito and Dani. Therefore, the main thing was to reach the finish calmly, and we did that. The team worked very well. I think that tomorrow will be more difficult stage, and probably could be the first test for the leaders."

 

Francesco Gavazzi (Astana, 7th s.t.)

“It was dangerous and a little bit chaotic – we came down the descent into a headwind and in the sprint nobody wanted to take the front – everyone was trying to hide left or right.”

 

Greg Van Avermaet (BMC, 52nd s.t.)

"In the descent, I tried to close the gap and we came back just before the climb. Philippe was in pretty good position, but it was maybe a little bit rough on the right."

 

Valerio Piva (sports director BMC whose best rider was Philippe Gilbert in 12th)

"It was very difficult to try something. Everybody came back in the strong headwind. A stage like this was normally good for us. We controlled the race with Martin Kohler. Not every race will be like this, but we tried together and we will try again tomorrow."

 

Lars Michaelsen (sports director Tinkoff-Saxo whose best rider was Matti Breschel in 20th)

"Our strategy was to wait until the final 10 kilometres before starting our attacks. However, before the finale a group of four riders eloped and the leading team, Orica GreenEdge took control of the pace-making in the field. The gap was kept for a long while between two and three minutes but 9 kilometres to go, they were caught. Then we decided to unleash Manuele (Boaro) and he launched an attack with 6 kilometres remaining and Nicolas (Roche) didn't hesitate to make a counterattack on a short climb soon after. Finally, Roman (Kreuziger) followed the big favourites, Nibali, Cancellara, Froome and Stybar in what seemed to be the decisive move and close to the finish line, Roman launched a surprising solo attack with 800 meters to go with the galloping field breathing down his neck. Unfortunately, he was caught by the sprinters. But it was good to see the boys in very good form and motivated to take the win."

 

Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ, 3rd s.t.)

Speaking before the stage: "I have to feel good on the last climb, less than 10km from the finish and if the is a headwind, it is possible."

 

Speaking after the stage: "There was a small descent before sprinting on a false flat and I did not position myself were well in only 10th place. I finished 3rd. There is room for improvement."

 

Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ, 14th s.t.)

"My preparation was disrupted for two weeks due to lumbago and I was uncertain before the first stage race. Today my legs responded well on the climbs. I am reassured."

 

Andreas Schillinger (NetApp-Endura, 76th s.t.)

"The third day of the Tour of Oman today was a flat stage with a hilly end. After leaving the hotel in another convoy at 9:45 a.m. to get the 1-hour transfer behind us, the neutralized start was at 11:40 a.m.

 

"Today’s race profile featured two steep climbs on the final stretch – a first for us this year. I have to say that roads here are built differently than in Europe. Here they try to build wide, four-lane roads up the mountain as straight as possible, thus giving the impression that they are trying to make them as steep as possible. Last year Peter Sagan (Cannondale) won this stage single-handedly, or rather in a 1000-meter sprint.

 

"Our goal was to get Leopold König, David de la Cruz, and Sam Bennett into the final stretch.Leo and David weren’t supposed to lose any time and Sam was supposed to focus on the sprint.

 

"After a four-man lead group pulled away just 10 kilometers after the start of the race, and was able to build up a lead of up to three-and-a-half minutes, we in the field had the task of getting our three guys safely up front for the final stretch. This began at kilometer 120 with the first climb. After this ascent we were faced with a rare narrow and extremely curvy road 10 kilometers before the finish line.

 

"The final climb came at kilometer six. After the tour of Qatar and the tough sprints over the past couple of days, Sam no longer had the energy to attack on the final stretch. Since no group was able to pull away due to the strong headwind on the final climb – which had as much as an 18% gradient – the race finished in a mass sprint in Boshar. We quickly changed our tactic to prepare the sprint for Zak [Dempster], who crossed the finish line for a strong 8th place finish. Our two overall riders also didn’t lose any time. Today’s top three were André Greipel ahead of Peter Sagan and Nacer Bouhanni  – hats off to André!

 

"After the race we rode our bikes the fifteen kilometers back to the hotel to loosen up our legs. After all, tomorrow things will really get serious for the climbers for the first time in the race. While there is only one mountain on the route, it has to be crossed twice from both sides. Tomorrow’s race is also the longest stage with the longest transfer before the race. We’ll see what happens."

 

Enrico Poitschke (sports director NetApp-Endura whose best rider was Zak Dempster in 8th)

“Since Sam [Bennett] had already ridden in the Tour of Qatar and has been out in front for the last two stages, we were prepared for the fact that his energy might start to run out. Sam is still very young and isn’t yet accustomed to racing with such intensity at this level. He felt that today on the final climb. The team reacted immediately and picked up the sprint for Zak, who was able to sprint to an eighth place finish. Overall it was a good performance, but of course we are also aiming for more than just the top 10 and will have to see what the next stages hold in store for us."

 

Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEDGE, 51st s.t.)

"We had to take a bit of responsibility in chasing the breakaway for the day. We had a few cards to play in the finish. Depending on hard it went on the final climb, we had guys like Daryl Impey, Santaromita, Jens Keukeleire and myself and depending on how well Leigh Howard got over the climb, then we’d decide on what our tactic was in the final for the sprint.

 

"We let the breakaway go away, but we only gave them three minutes. It was kept close. We used Jens Mouris and Michael Hepburn to control, and we had some help straightaway from Cannondale. Astana helped as well, and BMC put on rider on the front. There was a strong contingent working together to control the breakaway.

 

"Going further into the race, we then had the other six of us all in the final – and it was a question of who got over that last climb in the best situation to do something in the finish. It didn’t really work for us in the last kilometre. We got a little bit lost. Daryl Impey tried to do something alone, but nothing really materialised. It was probably only in the finish where we didn’t execute well. It was good that we had five of us in the front despite not having an impact in the sprint.

 

"Today was the first stage where it wasn’t going to be a flat sprint. We had two climbs in the last 25 kilometres – the first was at 25 kilomestre to go, and that’s where the pace really heated up. It didn’t split but it got quite hard, and it was hard all the way through to the finish.

 

"The top of the final climb was only five kilometres from the finish, and it was around two kilometres in length. It was done very fast. There were attacks from some of the bigger GC guys like Froome and Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo), but there was a headwind, so they didn’t really get anywhere. That being said – it was the first day where we saw different faces than the sprinters and their trains at the front.

 

"Some of the sprinters got back on over the top, and Greipel ended up winning the stage. So in that sense, it wasn’t really a day for the overall, but it was the first time we tested ourselves on the climbs. Tomorrow is where the GC guys will really start to play their cards and go after the stage win.

 

"We have a good team in terms of our dual objectives and splitting roles. We had four guys that came from Qatar, and they’re here more for the flat, sprint stages. We also had four new guys come in – myself, Albasini, Impey and Santaromita. We’re here more for the hilly stages and the overall. It’s been good that guys like myself and Santaromita can save a bit of energy while guys like Mouris and Hepburn can help in the sprints.

 

"Yeah – I am. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I had a later start to the season. The Sun Tour went well. Simon Clarke took on a leadership role, so I had a lot of work to do but wasn’t really in a position to test myself personally. Tomorrow will be the first time we see some of the big general classification guys for the bigger races later in the season go head-to-head, and I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do."

 

Kevyn Ista (IAM, part of the early breakaway, 134th +4.31)

“On Wednesday I had no desire at all to start the race.  But ultimately it was the best solution.  It does no good just to cry and mourn.  Today I determined to strike out on a breakaway and not to sit in the pack safe and warm.  I needed to change my thoughts and feel something else.  Four of us took off after 5 kilometers.  But one of the riders refused to take a pull after we passed the 30 kilometer mark, claiming he had to respect one of his teammates wearing one of the classification jerseys.  So the rest of us fought against the chasing pack and a strong headwind.  It was especially tough since the headwind was stiff.  The peloton finally caught us with about a dozen kilometers to go, just as we hit the final climb.  But I am satisfied with my day.  The legs look good and a day like this bodes well for the classics on my schedule like Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne.”

 

Kjell Carlström (sports director IAM whose best rider was Martin Elmiger in 31st)

“In the morning meeting, I told Kevyn Ista and Sébastien Hinault to try their luck with a breakaway.  And then we had Martin Elmiger and Heinrich Haussler reserved to try and see what they could do in the final.  Turned out it was Kevyn who found the right move and stayed away much of the race.  I’m happy for him because this helps him gain confidence in his abilities while giving him an outlet to remove some of the overflow of emotion that has naturally resulted from Kristof’s death.  To me, his move was important even if his efforts throughout the stage fatigued him enough that Kevyn lost contact with the main bunch up the final climb, along with Marcel Aregger and Sébastien Hinault.”

 

Marco Canola (Bardiani, 5th s.t.)

”I’m happy with today's result, especially looking at the classification. This winter I trained really well, with a part of the squad we moved to Spain to get ready for the first part of the season and step by step the first results are coming. Today in the finale I talked with Battaglin and I had the chance to play my chance. I started my sprint early with 350 metres to go, because I was closed by other riders. I did a good comeback, achieving this positive result."

 

Roberto Reverberi (sports director Bardiani whose best rider was Marco Canola in 5th)

”The guys are racing very well and today too we achieved good results against the most part of the best riders in the world. Our strategy was to get a positive result with Battaglin and Canola who had led him out in the last km and found the space for his sprint. However Enrico (Battaglin) also finished in the top 10. This is an important signal that his shape is growing and he has recovered from Qatar’s fall. Today also Boem went again into the early breakaway, winning both the intermediate sprints. Only negative thing is the minutes lost by Locatelli for the general and youth classifications [due to a puncture].”