Category: Previews

The 15th edition of the Tour of Oman, and Adam Yates is back to try and defend his title. Also returning is Valentin Paret-Peintre, he won on the Green Mountain but lost out to Yates by just 6s for the overall title. The race is the usual mix of stages, you’ll recognise most of them.

Dubai Police Academy > Hamdan Bin Mohamed Smart University 145km After Lorena Wiebes won the opening stage, some of the sprinters will be wondering if she’ll ever be beaten again. The 2nd stage provides the peloton with a chance of upsetting the odds.

Bessèges > Bessèges 163km The hardest stage of the week. If you don’t have a good TT, this is the day you need to take advantage of. 

Al Mouj > Al Bustan 176km Just the 4th edition of the (Kevin) Muscat Classic, but as some of you old timers know, this used to be a stage in the Tour of Oman. Sprint or late attack? It’s currently 2-1 to the sprinters.

Orihuela > San Vicent del Raspeig 158km Day 3 in Valenciana and normally this would be a day for the climbing sprinters. I say normally as the GC riders were happy to go for it on Wednesday, which was a much easier stage.

Al Mirfa > Madinat Zayed 112km The first stage of the UAE is the one most likely to see echelons, but it’s still not certain. It’s going to end in some type of sprint, but the size of the front group all depends on the wind.

Saint-Gilles > Domessargues 163km The 2nd stage looks like being a relatively straightforward day, which should end in a bunch sprint. Just 1114m of climbing isn’t a lot for pro cyclists, this should be a day for the fast men.

Carlet > Alginet 16.8km ITT A huge day in the fight for the overall title. The riders are faced with a 16.8km ITT with 200m of climbing, you’re likely to see pretty big gaps, especially to climbers who struggle in this discipline.

Bellegarde > Bellegarde 150km The opening stage is one which can split due to the wind, it’s done so in the past. Any gaps created in the wind will be almost impossible to close up throughout the race, anyone who wants to win GC needs to be at the front of the race, if it...

After last year’s safety concerns, it’s not a surprise to see all the big teams looking elsewhere to different races. It leaves us with a weaker startlist, but it will hopefully mean more exciting racing. There isn’t a mountaintop finish this year, the final TT will have a huge say in the outcome of the...