Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) made it an even more successful Middle Eastern campaign for him than the one he had 12 months ago by claiming another dominant victory in the final stage of the Tour of Oman. After another textbook lead-out from his Katusha teammate, he easily held off the Giant-Alpecin pair of Zico Waeytens and Søren Kragh Andersen in the bunch sprint to claim his fifth win in just 11 days of racing. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) finished safely in the bunch to secure overall victory ahead of Romain Bardet (Ag2r) and his teammate Jakob Fuglsang.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Vincenzo Nibali: It was important for me to get a win straightaway

“I am very satisfied,” said Nibali. “This year I wanted to try to win right away and I did it. Special thanks to my teammates who have made a great contribution to my success.

 

“The most important work in these last two days was done by the team, and we’re really happy with because it shows we’ve all started the year very strongly.

 

“A few years have gone by, a lot has changed and I’ve got a lot more experience now. And this time I raced more intelligently, with more cunning. I waited for the most important climb, Green Mountain, and even there I waited to make my attack until the finale. So in the end, we only needed to control the race for the last two days.”

 

“Obviously it was very important for me to try to get a win straightaway. It’s always nice to win early in the season and there are important races coming up in the weeks to come.”

 

“We were one of the favorite teams and it was not easy to comply with the odds,” pointed out sports director Dmitriy Fofonov. “For this we are very proud. Vincenzo and Jakob aside, the team did really well. Michele Scarponi, Andry Grivko, Valerio Agnoli and Andrea Guardini delivered a great help for the success and also the two new - Artyom Zakharov and Dias Omirzakov - behaved really well.”

 

Alexander Kristoff: When you get a lead-out like this, it is not too difficult to win

Team Katusha leader Alexander Kristoff put the finishing touch in the Tour of Oman, taking a nice victory in the final stage of the race.

 

“I felt good, but also the team was super strong today. Dima (Kozonchuk) did an excellent job the whole day in front of the peloton, holding the break at 2 minutes and saving the energy for the other teammates. Coming onto  the local laps, we had Jurgen (Van den Broeck) and Pavel (Kochetkov) who worked well. In the last lap there were some attacks in front, but Michael (Mørkøv) and Marco (Haller) controlled everything. In the final Marco again did a phenomenal job from 2km to the last 500 meters, while later it was Jacopo Guarnieri,who led me out really well until 200 meters to go. For me it was just a question of keeping the speed and finalizing this day with a victory,” said Alexander Kristoff.

 

“For me it was just a question of holding the speed and I saw that nobody could come past. When you are delivered with this speed in that position it’s not too difficult to win actually.

 

“I think in the really flat sprints, Kittel is really focused on them, and I think it will be difficult to pass him. You see how he’s sprinted now already, nobody has really been close,” Kristoff said. “But it will be exciting to see how I am against him. I am expecting to lose in the easy races but in the harder races, I hope I can drop him.

 

“I’m focused on being a little stronger in the climbs. Yesterday I did not quite make it, I was one minute behind, but if I get just a little bit stronger I can also compete in the harder races. Hopefully in the next weeks I will be a little bit better and get over more climbs.”

 

“If it was a few years ago, then if I did nothing the rest of the season I would still have been happy, but now after the last two years, I want a little bit more from the bigger races also.

 

“It gives me confidence and it also gives the team confidence that we can win races. Of course, the Classics are a bit different, they’re harder and longer, but it’s still many of the same guys racing there, so when you can beat them here you can also beat them there.”

 

Team Katusha started to control the race from the very first km. The breakaway of the day never had too big a gap and with 5 km to go the break was completely neutralized.

 

“I am so happy for Alex and for the team today. We started to work from km zero and continued to control the race until the finish line. The stage victory was our goal for today. We knew it would be possible and we were motivated. All the guys did their best today, they had 100% concentration and I liked it very much. We knew the last climb could be a hard moment for Alex, but our tactics worked out well. I can only congratulate all riders and staff we have here in the Middle East. We spent really nice two weeks,” said sports director Torsten Schmidt.

 

The best KATUSHA rider in the general classification is Jurgen Van den Broeck with a 14th place (+2.49).

 

Team Katusha ends the Middle East campaign with 5 victories (3 stage wins in the Tour of Qatar and 2 stage wins in the Tour of Oman). Now the team is really focused on the classics season.

 

“We already have five wins this season and this is a great start for us. For sure, we are going now to the classics with confidence. I think we are ready. The team looks strong and we will be at top level there,” added Alexander Kristoff.

 

“Now we are looking forward to the upcoming classics season. Having five victories in the pocket, we are confident, but, of course, we are still in the beginning of our way and we will take it step by step. Next week we will already have some ambitions in Belgium. We are all very excited to start the classics season,” said Torsten Schmidt.

 

Romain Bardet: This confirms my progress in stage races

Winner of the Tour de l'Ain 2013 and second the following season, Romain Bardet took his third podium in a stage race since the beginning of his career in 2012.

 

"This is a very good comeback that allows me to start the season with a good foundation. We are only in February. The major objectives of all riders are more distant but it is always important to know that the work of the winter is bearing fruit and that the sensations are good. The team worked very well and has supported me 100%,” he said.

 

“Last year I had a good start to the season too, I was third behind Froome and Contador at the Ruta del Sol. Now I’ve come second here behind Nibali, so I’ve started the season like I was supposed to.

 

”It is also a validation of my progress in this type of race but I do not get carried away. We can see that all the leading rider in shape early in the season. I'm satisfied with the fight against Nibali. He had a few more days of racing as me. He caught me when I attacked and it was great cycling. On Saturday and Sunday, the I will do the two races in Drôme Ardèche, two good races.”

 

Johan Vansummeren leaves Oman and is out of the opening weekend

Following his abandonment at the Tour of Oman (he didn’t start stage 2), Johan Vansummeren returned to Belgium to undergo medical tests. He will not participate in Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

 

Giant-Alpecin youngster Waeytens and Kragh the best of the rest behind Kristoff

On the final day of racing at the Tour of Oman, Zico Waeytens and Søren Kragh Andersen sprinted to 2nd and 3rd place respectively, in a frantic bunch sprint as Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha) won the sprint.

 

The Team Giant-Alpecin riders were well positioned near the front of the peloton to stay out of trouble and alert to any splits that may occur but a complete bunch came into the finish together. In the last kilometers, the team hit the front of the peloton, preparing the lead-out for Zico Waeytens with the help of Tom Dumoulin. In the sprint, it was Alexander Kristoff who was fastest once again and Waeytens delivered a strong performance to sprint to 2nd place, followed by Søren Kragh Andersen in 3rd place.

 

After the stage team coach Luke Roberts said:

 

“It was a very difficult last stage today and the objective of the team was to sprint with Zico.

 

“The team Katusha did most of the work in bringing back the breakaway of the day and our riders were well positioned at the front of the peloton to prepare for the bunch sprint. It was great work from the team to set up the sprint for Zico. Søren started in the wheel of Kristoff with Zico behind him and Zico managed to sprint to 2nd place, quickly followed by Søren in 3rd place.”

 

Waeytens said after the race following his 2nd place:

 

”The team did a great job in setting up the sprint for me. I managed to stay calm and I trusted the team to put me in the perfect position for the sprint finish and 2nd place is very satisfying.”

 

Kragh Andersen gave his thoughts on the stage:

 

”It was a chaotic final lap, it was really difficult to find each other but Tom Dumoulin put the team in a great position behind Team Katusha. I managed to put Zico in the wheel of Kristoff and then I protected his back wheel in the final meters.”

 

Jakob Fuglsang: This shows that I have done a good job during the winter

Despite working for Nibali, Jakob Fuglsang finished third overall.

 

“It’s a great beginning of season,” I’m very happy with this third place in the GC. I have done a good job this winter and this is the first result,” he said.

 

“Racing on Italian ground is extra motivation for him [Nibali] and this year he gets to race more in Italy,” he told Cyclingnews. “I think also it is normal that after you win the Tour de France, the biggest race that there is to win, you maybe need a year to digest everything and settle back down. It’s not easy to find the same motivation when you have won the biggest race for a stage racer.”

 

Tom Dumoulin: This is a huge confidence boost for the upcoming races

After the stage, Tom Dumoulin reflected on the performance of the week that allowed him to finish fourth overall.

 

”This week of racing was very good. At the start, it was not the plan to go for GC but only to test my performance levels. Eventually, as the race went on, my performance was very good and the GC was a possibility. This result will give me a lot of confidence for the upcoming races.

 

“The team worked really hard this week, especially as we only had six riders and we can be very satisfied with the team’s performance.”

 

Moreno Hofland hands the sprinting baton to Van Asbroeck in Oman

Team LottoNL-Jumbo switched plans from Moreno Hofland to Tom Van Asbroeck for the final stage of the Tour of Oman today. Hofland did not feel up to it, so he gave the job to Van Asbroeck, who placed fourth behind winner Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha). Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) won the general classification.

 

With 30 kilometres left in the final stage, Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s sprinter noticed that he wasn’t feeling strong enough to compete in the bunch sprint. He decided to take a step back in the team’s hierarchy for the day.

 

“The riders changed the plans all by themselves,” sports director Jan Boven. “It ran quite smoothly.”

 

“I wasn’t really expecting this,” Van Asbroeck added. “Moreno came to me to say that it was my turn. He did his job to lead me out afterwards, which I’m very thankful for. The team kept calm and everyone took their place for the sprint lead-out.”

 

Van Asbroeck was satisfied with fourth.

 

“It was the first time that I had to sprint for some time,” he said. “The first time’s always a bit rough. To switch from the penultimate man to the sprinter isn’t easy, but this 4th place isn’t bad either.”

 

Sports director Jan Boven looked back on the week in Oman with satisfaction.

 

“We took some big steps in our sprint lead-out,” he added. “George Bennett did a good job as well. The most beautiful thing is that the team is developing. I notice that during the team meetings. Everyone is on the same level more and more.”

Rui Costa sets sights on Paris-Nice after fifth place in Oman

Rui Costa ended the race in fifth overall.

 

“The Tour Oman is over and I finished in 5th place of the General Classification, with the help of the entire team whom I thank for all the support throughout these days,” he wrote on Facebook.

 

“This result serves as motivation for Paris-Nice. We made a good preparation here and I leave satisfied with this outcome. I still tried do better but the competition is very strong and it was not possible to go beyond the 5th place.

 

“Thanks to all of you who supported me from your house. With your strength, the struggle on the road becomes easier. My next race is Paris-Nice.”

 

His Lampre-Merida teammate Marko Kump had to settle for 8th in the final sprint.

 

Bora-Argon 18 frustrated by poor lead-outs for Bennett, pleased with young climbers

It was another good result for Bora-Argon 18 on the last day in Oman. Sam Bennett finished 5th in the bunch sprint.

 

The Bora-Argon 18 lead-out train started a little late to position Sam Bennett in the front of the peloton. He then had to launch his sprint early and finished in 5th position.

 

In the general classification nothing changed. Vincenzo Nibali won the Tour of Oman, with Emanuel Buchmann in 12th and Patrick Konrad in 15th position. The two young talents from Bora-Argon 18 also remained in 4th and 5th place in the U-25 classification.

 

"This week I felt better from day to day,” Buchmann said. “I feel that my shape is building up and my legs are turning better and better. Yesterday on the last climb we were just 15 riders before a group of another 20 guys joined us on the decent. It is a good sign that I can follow the best climbers here and I am looking forward to the next races now.”

 

"It is a pity that I could not keep the white jersey. But after my cold in Mallorca I think it is a good result for me to be in the top 15. I feel that I lack a few race days compared to the other guys here, Oman has been the first stage race for me this year so far. On the Green Mountain I think it would have been better to use a 36 chain ring instead of the 39, I could not turn the gear properly in the end, therefore I lost a bit of time,” Patrick Konrad added.

 

"I think our climbers did a good job this week. We missed our goal of getting a top ten result in the GC, but Emu (Buchmann) in 12th and Patrick (Konrad) in 15th position showed that they are able to go with the best. I think we can be satisfied with that,” sports director Enrico Poitschke said.

 

“With our lead-out train we wanted to fight for our first win of the season, but our train did not work 100% this week. We could not position Sam (Bennett) good enough. It is difficult to fight for a win then. But now we head to Belgium, and the cards will be shuffled again.”

 

Impressive Dimension Data leave Oman with two jerseys and teams classification win

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka brought the week to a close with Edvald Boasson Hagen finishing 9th on today's final stage. It was the African Team's goal to deliver Boasson Hagen to the line today. With the green points jersey on his shoulders, Boasson Hagen was in the mix right up until the final few meters of the stage. With the Norwegian champion placing inside the top 10, and thanks to his 2 stage wins earlier in the week, he had secured enough points to ensure he won the green points jersey classification overall.

 

The culmination of the final stage also confirmed further success for the African Team as Jacques Janse van Rensburg won the most combative polka dot jersey, which he pulled on after yesterday's heroic breakaway. In the general classification, Boasson Hagen and Merhawi Kudus finished in 6th and 9th place respectively. Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka also rode away as winners of the best team classification, highlighting the terrific week the team had overall.

 

“I am really happy with the team performance here in Oman. We raced as one unit and that has shown in the results we were able to achieve this week in Oman. I feel fortunate to have got the most aggressive jersey win here in Oman as I was just doing some hard work for the team, and that I suppose is just a little pat on the back for me. The team vibe is just amazing and that is why we are racing so well,” Jacques Janse van Rensburg said.

 

Another solid sprint by Roy Jans in the Tour of Oman

After the Tour of Qatar, Roy Jans, Robin Stenuit, Kenny Dehaes, Mark McNally, Simone Antonini, Björn Thurau, Marco Marcato and the staff of Wanty-Groupe Gobert travelled to Oman. Enrico Gasparotto joined the team there.

 

Kenny Dehaes played a major part in this six-day stage race. No less than three times he was part of the day’s breakaway winning him the lead in the overall ranking for most aggressive rider.

 

“I would have loved to show myself in Qatar but the crash on day 1 prevented this. I still wanted to show that I am good and you don’t do that by just sitting in the bunch. Furthermore, this is good training for the upcoming Belgian races,” Dehaes said.

 

On the penultimate the riders faced a really hard stage where many points for the ranking were at stake. Unfortunately Dehaes didn’t manage to catch the break and lost the lead in the classification.  

 

Oman is a lot more mountainous than Qatar is. There weren’t a great many opportunities for the sprinters but the chances the team and Roy Jans got were taken with both hands.

 

“It was excellent teamwork yet again," Jans praised his teammates.“At the end I got boxed in at the wrong side of the road. This is why I started my sprint too late. Marcato was with me and we made up some positions but it wasn't enough. Stenuit couldn't get passed anymore and I really missed that last man in the final."

 

In the penulatimate stage Marco Marcato finished ninth. "I was very motivated today and tried to be in the breakaway. When I saw there were only three I changed plans and stayed with the top riders until the finish. For the sprint I was well-positioned but some riders passed me on the inside so I lost a few places. But my form is growing and this is morale boost."

 

 

On the final day there were chances for a bunch sprint but it didn’t turn out to be a simple sprinter’s stage.

 

“We attacked on the climb that is only three kilometres from the line. There were some big names in this group like Edvald Boasson Hagen, Vincenzo Nibali and Greg Van Avermaet but they didn’t continue full gas. In the final kilometre the peloton passe dus at a higher speed. I got boxed and saw my chance for today go up in smoke.” 

 

Bob Jungels and Gianluca Brambilla take over from ill Dan Martin in Oman

For Etixx – Quick-Step, the Tour of Oman – which the team has raced since its inception, in 2010 – proved out to be a very good race: on stage 1, Bob Jungels nailed his first victory of the season following an audacious attack inside the final kilometers, while Gianluca Brambilla was always with the main group on the climbs, his consistence netting him a 10th place in the overall standings at the end of the week.

 

"If we look at the results we have to be very happy, because only three other teams took a victory this week. Winning a stage means you were competitive, that the guys worked well and they are at a good level for the next races", said sport director Rik van Slycke at the finish in Muscat.

 

"I'm also happy because some of the guys made an important progress here, and also because I noticed a great team spirit throughout the week. Unfortunately, Daniel Martin was sick, but Bob Jungels and Gianluca Brambilla stepped in and recorded some strong results. Also, Laurens De Plus deserves a mention, as his ride gave us an extra reason to be happy. He found his place in the team and showed a glimpse of his potential, and also that he is willing to learn and gain experience."

 

Aggressive showing by Roompot Oranje Peloton in Oman

Roompot had a rider in front in each stage and were firmly back in the spotlight at the Tour of Oman. The real reward for the attacking tactics during the six days in the Sultanate in West Asia unfortunately failed to materialize. Pieter Weening was very close in the penultimate stage.

 

The new rider saw a breakaway (with Houle and Van Rensburg) being caught only two kilometers from the finis. Earlier in the week also Jesper Asselman, Brian Van Goethem, Ivar Slik and Berden de Vries were part of groups. The winner of the 2014 Olympia's Tour even chose to attack twice. De Vries got far in the mountain stage to Green Mountain (won by Nibali) and seventh in the sprint on stage 3.

 

There were also places of honorfor André Looij. The only 20-year-old sprinter were up there in the two sprints. Looij was 17th and 11th and is now preparing Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday.

 

Team Stölting show progress in tough Tour of Oman

Rasmus Guldhammer made it into the select group and sprinted to a 12th place for Stölting. After a crash-marred Tour of Qatar, the last days’ good sprint results made for a positive end to the Team Stölting Service Group’s Middle East adventure. Next week, the team will be officially presented on Thursday in Düsseldorf, start city of the 2017 Tour de France. The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium and the Gran Premio Città di Lugano in Switzerland are on the team’s program for the weekend after the team presentation.

 

"It was a tough race, but good preparation for upcoming races. The progress in riders' form is evidenced by latest results,” sports director André Steensen said.

 

Greg Van Avermaet optimistic for the classics after solid performance in Oman

The final stage of the Tour of Oman came down to a bunch sprint with pre-race favorite Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) taking the win. A breakaway almost spoiled the stage for Kristoff, before the peloton, led by BMC Racing Team and Katusha, reigned in the three remaining riders on the final lap of the Matrah Corniche.

 

Zico Waeytens and Soren Kragh Andersen (Giant-Alpecin) rounded out the top three in the sprint. The 130.5km stage wrapped up a solid week of racing for BMC Racing Team following a successful racing program in Dubai and Qatar.

 

Greg Van Avermaet said he has built a good foundation over the past two weeks in the Middle East for the upcoming Classics in Europe.

 

“It’s always good racing here in Oman. It’s ideal preparation for the early season as we always have good weather and we do some extra training on top of the racing by riding to and from some of the stages,” Van Avermaet said.

 

“The team worked well and I think we are going into the Classics with good form.”