# Tour of Oman 2013



## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

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The startlists are not all in, but the 2013 edition of the Tour of Oman is looking to be packed with heavy hitters including:

Nibali, Evans, Gilbert, Sagan, Rodriguez, Boonen, Cavendish, Cancellara, Wiggins, Froome and Contador.

Spartacus is of course a former winner, but Boonen (after missing the Tour of Qatar) will be hungry. With this field, I suspect fireworks will be de riguer.

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Here's the Cyclingnews Preview:

Tour Of Oman 2013: Preview | Cyclingnews.com


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

It could end up being Marcel Kittel showing up by himself too. Hopefully Sagan keeps it interesing.


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## falcon1823 (Apr 5, 2012)

Wow...that's going to be sweet. Boonen leadout for Cav should be fun to watch...and Goss is another hitter.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

falcon1823 said:


> Wow...that's going to be sweet. Boonen leadout for Cav should be fun to watch...and Goss is another hitter.


Don't know that Cav needs a leadout these days, and if so, Niki Terpstra seems to have dibs on that job.

Looks like Tom is doing much better:

A Thousand Kilometers In Six Days For Boonen | Cyclingnews.com

- With Cav's victory in Qatar all but sewn up, I'm thinking Cav will be helping Boonen to win this.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Still waiting to see the final startlist.

Anybody know if the list has been finalized and if so where it can be found?


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Tour of Oman 2013 Startlist*

Tour Of Oman 2013: Start List | Cyclingnews.com


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage One*

Al Musannah to Sultan Qaboos University

Marcel Kittel broke the seal on victories for 2013 at the first stage of this year's Tour of Oman by winning a bunch sprint. 

Traditionally another sprinter friendly race, Kittel and his Argos-Shimano team can now make a go of keeping the leader's jersey. With Cavendish out of this one, I suspect a number of sprinters and climbers may divy up the future stages. If that happens, Tom Boonen will probably go on to winning the GC - but this is a star-studded field, so nothing is assured at this point.

So here's your top-ten after the first stage:

1) Marcel Kittel (Team Argos-Shimano)

2) Davide Appollonio (AG2R La Mondiale)

3) Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ)

4) Alexander Kristoff (Katusha)

5) Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)

6) Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team)

7) Filippo Fortin (Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox)

8) Kristof Goddaert (IAM Cycling)

9) Elia Viviani (Cannondale Pro Cycling)

10) Jacopo Guarnieri (Astana Pro Team)

Things will start going uphill soon and the sprinter's teams will have to be on the lookout for a climber getting away from them. Stage Four features the Green Mountain (Jabal Al Akhdhar) climb - which most agree will go a long way towards determining the overall GC. Advantage: Climbers and All-Rounders.

Boonen will look to make an early break and get away before the other sprint teams can get thier trains into place. Taylor Phinney is well placed at the moment, if he can stick to Boonen's wheel when Boonen makes his move. But there are too many marque names in this field to begin handing out podium places at this juncture. Many of those big names are probably just there to put some racing miles in thier legs - but if they see an opening...

Tour Of Oman 2013: Stage 1 Results | Cyclingnews.com

Cyclisme - Tour d'Oman - Kittel premier leader

Kittel wins stage 1 at the 2013 Tour of Oman

Wiggins Confirms That Froome Will Lead Team Sky In Oman | Cyclingnews.com


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Two*

Fanja in Bidbid - Al Bustan

Cannondale's Peter Sagan took his first win of the season and, with his time bonus, took the race lead as well. As the race approached it's last climb, the top names of pro-cycling were up front marking eachother - including Alberto Contador (Team Saxo Tinkoff) who launched a brief attack before being reeled in. In a heroic and powerful attack on the last climb and descent of the day, Sagan managed to pass and distance himself from that selection featuring the top names in professional cycling and soloed in for the win.

Currently, on GC, the cream is rising to the surface:
Sagan #1
Nibali #4
Froome #6
Cancellara #18 (-21 seconds)
Contador #24
Gilbert #26
Evans #36
Rodriguez #41

My pick for the GC win, Tom Boonen, is almost two minutes behind. Not insurmountable in an average race, but tough to make up here with this field of top riders. He's going to have to pull a big surprize out of his hat soon or it will be all over for Tommeke except for the weeping.

Boonen Not Competitive Despite Oman Start, Says Team Doctor | Cyclingnews.com

Tour Of Oman 2013: Stage 2 Results | Cyclingnews.com

The pundits favor Sagan's chances for taking the next stage as well.

I'm gonna buck the trend and predict the John Degenkolb (Argos Shimano) will take Stage Three, the 190Km run from Nakhal Fort to Wadi Dayqah Dam.

Nibali has picked a GC winner:
Nibali Ready For A Showdown With Contador In Oman | Cyclingnews.com
It's always fun to watch these guys attempt to deflect attention from themselves! He's obviously hoping that Conti will be heavily marked allowing himself to slip away.
If you had asked Conti who he thinks is going to win, Conti would have answered "Me, of course!"


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

*stage one race report*

Tour of Oman 2013 - Stage 1 Race Report - YouTube

I'd like to see Sagan take stage two!


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Local Hero said:


> Tour of Oman 2013 - Stage 1 Race Report - YouTube
> 
> I'd like to see Sagan take stage two!


Just did - see post above.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

LostViking said:


> Just did - see post above.


Edit: Oh, you mean actually "see" the stage! Sorry, misunderstood.


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## [email protected] (Feb 8, 2013)

Nice analysis!


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## locobaylor (Mar 11, 2008)

Stage 2 highlights:





GCN didn't have any of climbs because of some UCI rule, so this one was more exciting, IMO.


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## JackDaniels (Oct 4, 2011)

Tour of Oman: worst podium girls ever










Sagan: not impressed


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

JackDaniels said:


> Tour of Oman: worst podium girls ever
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No boob signings in Oman.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Three*

Nakhal Fort to Wadi Dayqah Dam

Peter Sagan (Cannondale) proved the pundits right and took his second sprint victory of this year's Tour of Oman and padded his lead.

Tour Of Oman 2013: Stage 3 Results | Cyclingnews.com

Stage Four (Al Saltiyah in Samail to Jabal Al Akhdhar "The Green Mountain"), however, is better suited to a climber and both Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Alberto Contador (Team Saxo Tinkoff) are poised to make a run at the leader's jersey on what many believe will be the decisive climb up the Green Mountain. Froome (Team Sky) is also a potential threat. One could also safely assume that J. Rod (Katusha) will attack here as well.

Can Sagan and his Cannondale team manage to hold off Astana and Saxo Tink?

Stage Four will likely tell the tale - whoever dominates here will have to be considered the favorite to hang this year's Leader's Jersey on thier wall.

My guess, for what it's worth, Conti does not win the Stage tommorrow but does well enough to take the jersey away from Sagan. The Shark will only be seconds behind El Pistolero and those two will slug it out to the finish.

Froome Shows His Form At The Tour Of Oman | Cyclingnews.com

Contador Fights Back At The Tour Of Oman | Cyclingnews.com


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

Doesn't appear Sagan plans to challenge the climbers on the mountain stage tomorrow. Mission accomplished though as far as showing great race form. Gotta feel good going into the Spring. Same with Cav and I think Contador as well from what I've seen. Each has to be happy with their fitness at this point.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Four*

Al Saltiyah in Samail to Jabal Al Akhdhar

"One could also safely assume that J. Rod (Katusha) will attack here as well." 

Purito lit it up and delivered a vintage J-Rod victory and shook up the GC while doing it.

After J Rod's Green Mountain victory, the GC has truely shaped up - Advantage: Chris Froome (Sky Procycling).


1) Christopher Froome (Sky Procycling) 16:35:05

2) Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) 0:00:24

3) Alberto Contador Velasco (Team Saxo-Tinkoff) 0:00:25

4) Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) 0:00:34

5) Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha) 0:00:45

6) Kenny Elissonde (FDJ) 0:00:49

7) Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale) 0:00:58

8) Johann Tschopp (IAM Cycling)

9) Maxime Bouet (AG2R La Mondiale) 0:01:15

10) Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ) 0:01:23

I'm likeing the top five. Likeing the fact that J Rod is on the move. And even French fans can be glad - three Frenchmen (two FDJ riders and an AG2R) in the top ten - not too shabby. In the meantime my pre-race favorite, Tom Boonen, has slipped down to 90th place on GC with most of the OPQ team sticking with him in the basement - Tom will have to ride himself into form if he is going to threaten Fabian's chances in the Classics. 

Tour Of Oman 2013: Stage 4 Results | Cyclingnews.com

This is shaping up to be a Battle Royal between the top five riders and perhaps one of the most competitive Tours of Oman in memory.
Allez!


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## flyrunride (May 2, 2012)

Good on Froome and Team Sky! I wish I knew where to watch the race. It seems to be a good race even if it's early in the season.


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

Froome fans can cheer an excellent performance. From the highlights I've seen it looked like J Rod, Conti and Froome (plus Evans) are all in good early season form. Great way to start.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Five*

Al Alam Palace - Ministry of Housing, Boshar

Despite Alberto Contador's (Team Saxo-Tinkoff) never-say-die attitude, Chris Froome of Sky Procycling put an exclimation point after his lead today by winning Stage Five and proving that, at this race at least, he is the better man. He looks to take Sky to thier first Stage Race victory of the 2013 season. 

So here's the top of the GC - if Froome and Sky are to lose thier grip on the leader's jersey, it will be up to one of the men currently in 2nd, 3rd or 4th place to do it:

1) Christopher Froome (Sky Procycling) 20:04:13

2) Alberto Contador Velasco (Team Saxo-Tinkoff) 0:00:27

3) Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) 0:00:39

4) Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha) 0:00:50

Tour Of Oman 2013: Stage 5 Results | Cyclingnews.com

But one has to wonder, is Froome peaking too soon? Will he be able to maintain this high level through to the Tour de France? Or will he slowly lose gas as his rivals begin to peak in July?

Conti is making noises as if he has given up - if I were Froome, I'd disregard that - Contador will attack on Saturday and Sky better be ready for it.

Contador Goes Down Fighting In Oman | Cyclingnews.com

Only 27 seconds down - if Conti is able, has good legs, he will attack and try to wrest a victory from the clenched jaws of a defeat. I don't think he knows any other way to ride. (The mark of a Champion in my book)

Eijssen Sees Oman Results As Confirmation Of Good Form | Cyclingnews.com


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## Winn (Feb 15, 2013)

Nice highlights lostviking
Not for any reason in particular but I'd like to see Evans take it here but Contador can be surprising keep the highlights coming, Thanks


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

I haven't been following closely as I hoped too. Heard Contador put on a bit of a show to try to win.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

This could be a great season. We know that Contador is a pure racer, and it now looks like, an off the leash, Froome enjoys racing as well - put Rodriguez, Cadel, Nibali in the mix and we'll have some great days in the hills and mountains. 
Although he had a wonderful year, I don't think I could take another long season of Wiggins boring everyone to death.


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## Winn (Feb 15, 2013)

I agree this could be a great year. It will be nice to have one without scandal too...


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Stage Six - Final Results*

Christopher Froome holds on to win his first Stage Race!

Froome rose to the challenge of being team captain for the first time and delivered Sky Pro Cycling's first victory of the season in style - against the toughest field he could have faced.

With Paris-Nice knocking on the door, one has to look to Sky to propel one Bradley Wiggins to a repeat. In Nice, Froome will be able to repay Wiggo for his support in Oman.


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