Schlagwort-Archiv: Muscat Classic

MUSCAT CLASSIC / TOUR OF OMAN 2026 START STRONG, FINISH STRONGER

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Key info:
• Now entering its fourth edition, the Muscat Classic will take place on 6th February 2026 and feature on the ProSeries calendar, ahead of the Tour of Oman (7-11 February 2026), which has been a fixture of the international cycling scene since 2010.
• The peloton will include 18 teams, among them 11 WorldTeams, two more than in 2025, highlighting the growing prestuge of the event.
• From the coastal road of Al Mouj to the demanding ascent of Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain), riders will be tested across a diverse and challenging course that spans desert landscape and Oman’s most iconic peaks.
One more step in the desert. Since the first edition of the Tour of Oman in 2010, the stars of the international peloton have become accustomed to the roads of the Sultanate, but 2026 brings a new dimension to the double event now on offer on the shores of the Gulf of Oman: the Muscat Classic (6 February), created in 2023 as a prelude to the stage race, joins its older sibling (7-11 February) on the Pro Series calendar.

Victory at Al Bustan will be all the more prestigious and loaded with UCI points. The contenders will once again face a hilly and winding course that always makes for a dynamic race. With the final climb of Al Jissah (1.4 km at 9%) just 5 km from the finish, can an attacker make the difference, as Finn Fisher-Black did in 2024? Or will a puncheur-sprinter succeed Rick Pluimers, who made the most of his speed to claim victory last year?

The day after the Muscat Classic, riders will need to have recovered from the first efforts of the week in the Sultanate. For the first stage of the Tour of Oman, the peloton will set off from the Ministry of Tourism and quickly tackle the slopes of the climb of Bushar (3.3 km at 9.8%) before a wind-exposed finale along the sea to reach Bimmah Sink Hole, where Olav Kooij won in 2025.

Another coastal opportunity awaits the sprinters on Tuesday 10 February, when they will race to Sohar for the finish of stage 4. The other profiles feature numerous climbs, with a thrilling crescendo leading up to the final showdown on the slopes of Jabal Al Akhdhar – Green Mountain.

Already on stage 2, puncheurs will need to master timing, power and gear ratios to conquer Yitti Hills. The next day, Eastern Mountain (3.4 km at 8%) shall bring notable differences in the fight for the overall victory with its irregular slopes. Finally, the best climbers are accustomed to battling it out on the climb up Jabal Al Akhdhar – Green Mountain, a summit of February with its 5.7 km at 10.5%.

Who will succeed Valentin Paret-Peintre and Adam Yates, who ruled these heights in 2025? Eleven WorldTour teams (two more than last year) are preparing to light up the Omani roads. Four of the top five teams in the 2025 UCI world rankings are expected to compete, starting with UAE Team Emirates-XRG. They will be joined by six ProTeams and the Omani national team.

Muscat Classic
Friday, February 6th : Al Mouj > Al Bustan (174km)

Tour of Oman 2026 stages
Stage 1, Saturday, February 7th: Ministry of Tourism > Bimmah Sink Hole (171 km)
Stage 2, Sunday, February 8th: Al Rustaq Fort > Yitti Hills (191,5 km)
Stage 3, Monday, February 9th: Samail “Al Fayhaa Resthouse” > Eastern Mountain (191 km)
Stage 4, Tuesday, February 10th: Al Sawadi Beach > Sohar (146 km)
Stage 5, Wednesday, February 11th: Nizwa > Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) (156 km)

The 18 teams

WTT – UCI WorldTeams (11)

Alpecin – Premier Tech
EF Education-EasyPost
Groupama-FDJ United
Movistar Team
Team Jayco AlUla
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
UAE Team Emirates-XRG
Soudal Quick-Step
XDS Astana Team
Lotto Intermarché
Uno-X Mobility

PRT – UCI ProTeams (6)

Cofidis
Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
TotalEnergies
Tudor Pro Cycling Team
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
Burgos Burpellet BH

National team (1)
Oman National Team

Muscat Classic – 170 Km

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1 PLUIMERS Rick NED Tudor Pro Cycling Team 04:16:50
2 BIERMANS Jenthe BEL ARKEA-B&B HOTELS 00:00
3 MULUBRHAN Henok ERI XDS Astana Team 00:00
4 ULISSI Diego ITA XDS Astana Team 00:00
5 DONNENWIRTH Tom FRA Groupama-FDJ 00:00
6 PARET-PEINTRE Valentin FRA Soudal Quick-Step 00:00
7 TONEATTI Davide ITA XDS Astana Team 00:00
8 GARCIA Carlos ESP Burgos Burpellet BH 00:00
9 VANSEVENANT Mauri BEL Soudal Quick-Step 00:00
10 FREDHEIM Stian NOR Uno-X Mobility 00:00
11 VERMEERSCH Florian BEL UAE Team Emirates 00:00
12 DE PRETTO Davide ITA Team Jayco-AlUla 00:00
13 GAUDU David FRA Groupama-FDJ 00:00
14 ZERAY Nahom ERI JCL Team Ukyo 00:00
15 HOWSON Damien AUS Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team 00:00
16 DE LA CRUZ David ESP Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team 00:00
17 FAURA José Luis ESP Burgos Burpellet BH 00:00
18 SAINBAYAR Jambaljamts MGL Burgos Burpellet BH 00:00
19 CRAS Steff BEL Team TotalEnergies 00:00
20 MAJKA Rafal POL UAE Team Emirates 00:00
21 BREGNHØJ Mathias DEN Terengganu Cycling Team 00:00
22 UIJTDEBROEKS Cian BEL Team Visma | Lease a Bike 00:00
23 GUERREIRO Ruben POR Movistar Team 00:00
24 FLYNN Sean GBR Team Picnic PostNL 00:00
25 YATES Adam GBR UAE Team Emirates 00:00
26 BRENNER Marco GER Tudor Pro Cycling Team 00:00
27 VERMAERKE Kevin USA Team Picnic PostNL 00:00
28 DALBY Simon DEN Uno-X Mobility 00:00
29 HARPER Chris AUS Team Jayco-AlUla 00:13
30 POELS Wout NED XDS Astana Team 00:16

Al Bustan, Friday, February 7th 2025

The undulating suburbs of the Omani capital set the scene for a rolling barrage of attacks in the third edition of the Muscat Classic. The peloton, reduced to just under 30 units, reeled in the lead group consisting of Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates – XRG), Ruben Guerreiro (Movistar Team) and Chris Harper (Team Jayco AlUla) in sight of the line. In the end, the precocious Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) prevailed in the bunch sprint and bagged the first professional win of his career. The Belgian winner of the inaugural Muscat Classic two years ago, Jenthe Biermans (Arkea-B&B Hotels), took second place and the Eritrean Henok Mulubrhan (XDS Astana Team) came in third.

Three men versus the world
A 114-strong peloton rolled out of the Al Mouj neighbourhood of Muscat, with Jørgen Nordhagen (Visma–Lease a Bike), Tim Naberman (Team Picnic PostNL) and Davide Cimolai (Movistar Team) on the DNS list. As soon as the flag dropped, Adne Van Engelen (Terengganu Cycling Team) jumped out of the peloton with his teammate Mohamad Mohd Zariff and Rasmus Bøgh Wallin (Uno-X Mobility) in tow. Their margin soon grew from Team Visma | Lease a Bike 1′30″ at km 10 to 4′30″ at km 23 before peaking at 7 minutes at km 30.

3, 2, 1…
After the gap hit 6′45″, UAE Team Emirates – XRG and Visma–Lease a Bike traded turns at the front of the peloton to make sure the situation did not get out of hand. 73 kilometres into the race, the first slopes whittled the breakaway down to two men after the 2022 Malaysian national champion lost contact. Wallin was gapped by Van Engelen on the ascent to Bousher Al Amerat but managed to reconnect on the descent. Their advantage dipped below the 2′30″ mark at km 85. The Dutchman finally got rid of the Norwegian for good on the Hamriyah climb (km 111).

Germani rolls the dice for Groupama–FDJ
The start of the final circuit encouraged several riders to try their luck. Kanter (XDS Astana Team), Boulahoite (TotalEnergies) and Azparren (Q36.5) flew past Van Engelen at km 127 as if he were standing still. The Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team Spaniard hit the front of the race, only to be undone in turn by Lorenzo Germani (Groupama–FDJ), who launched a solo move from 34 kilometres out, dangling precariously half a minute ahead of the peloton.

Oh-so-close for Vine and Harper
A new three-man group consisting of Vine (UAE Team Emirates – XRG), Reinderink (Soudal Quick-Step) and Harper (Team Jayco AlUla) counter-attacked and caught Germani with 17 kilometres to go. The newly formed quartet held a 25-second margin over the peloton going into the final 10 kilometres. The young Italian racing for Groupama–FDJ ran out of steam with 6 kilometres to go. Ruben Guerreiro (Movistar Team) rocketed out of the peloton and soon dropped his would-be breakaway companions before linking up with Vine and Harper at the front. Alas, with just 7 seconds to spare with 2 kilometres to go, it was not to be. A much-reduced peloton gobbled them up under the red kite, leaving the Dutchman Rick Pluimers to turn on the afterburners on the false flat leading to the finish line and fly to his maiden win as a professional rider.

Muscat Classic Oman – 174 Km

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1 FISHER-BLACK Finn NZL UAE Team Emirates 04:27:43
2 LAMPERTI Luke USA Soudal Quick-Step 00:04
3 CAPIOT Amaury BEL ARKEA-B&B HOTELS 00:04
4 COQUARD Bryan FRA Cofidis 00:04
5 BUSATTO Francesco ITA Intermarché-Wanty 00:04
6 BARGUIL Warren FRA Team dsm-firmenich PostNL 00:04
7 BLUME LEVY William DEN Uno-X Mobility 00:04
8 LIVYNS Arjen BEL Lotto Dstny 00:04
9 KUDUS Merhawi ERI Terengganu Cycling Team 00:04
10 DE PRETTO Davide ITA Team Jayco-AlUla 00:04
11 ADRIÀ Roger ESP BORA-hansgrohe 00:04
12 ROTA Lorenzo ITA Intermarché-Wanty 00:04
13 HERRADA Jesus ESP Cofidis 00:04
14 CHARMIG Anthon DEN Astana Qazaqstan Team 00:04
15 BERCKMOES Jenno BEL Lotto Dstny 00:04
16 PESENTI Thomas ITA JCL Team UKYO 00:04
17 DE POOTER Dries BEL Intermarché-Wanty 00:04
18 PALZER Anton GER BORA-hansgrohe 00:04
19 IRIBAR Unai ESP Equipo Kern Pharma 00:04
20 VANHOUCKE Harm BEL Lotto Dstny 00:04

Emil Herzog (BORA-hansgrohe) fuhr lange Zeit alleine vor dem Feld und wurde erst kurz vor dem Ziel gestellt.


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Muscat Classic 174km

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Ide Schelling Achter beim Muscat Classic

Die erste Austragung der Muscat Classic im Sultanat Oman wartete mit einigen kurzen aber recht steilen Anstiegen auf einer 173.7 km langen Strecke auf. Nachdem ein Solist maximal rund 17 Minuten Vorsprung herausfahren konnte, begann BORA – hansgrohe im letzten Renndrittel das Tempo zu forcieren. Infolge schrumpfte der Vorsprung des Ausreißers schnell, bis es nach 140 km wieder zum Zusammenschluss kam. Im letzten Anstieg attackierte Ide Schelling und errang am Ende im Sprint eines reduzierten Feldes den 8. Platz.


Archivfoto Plomi

Ergebnis:

1 [BEL] Biermans Jenthe Team Arkéa-Samsic 04:27:48
2 [BEL] Warlop Jordi Soudal Quick-Step + 00
3 [ITA] Vendrame Andrea AG2R Citroën Team + 00
4 [ITA] Busatto Francesco Intermarché-Circus-Wanty + 00
5 [BEL] Van Gils Maxim Lotto Dstny + 00
6 [ITA] Ulissi Diego UAE Team Emirates + 00
7 [ESP] Adriá Roger Equipo Kern Pharma + 00
8 [NED] Schelling Ide BORA-hansgrohe + 00
9 [BEL] Teugels Lennert Bingoal WB + 00
10 [ESP] Verona Carlos Movistar Team + 00

Reaktionen im Ziel

„Unser Plan war ein intensives Rennen zu fahren. Wir versuchten im Finale zu attackieren und Ide dann für den Sprint bereitzuhalten, falls es zu einem Sprint kommen würde. Die Jungs haben da einen wirklich guten Job gemacht. Matt hat das Team gut positioniert, dann hat Ben auf dieser Rollercoaster Straße schön attackiert. Wir haben es ziemlich schwer gemacht und im finalen Anstieg sind sowohl Ide als auch Ben losgefahren. Auch Emu hat versucht zu attackieren. Am Ende war Ide ungefähr bis 200 Meter vor dem Ziel Zweiter, aber dann kamen von hinten einige Fahrer aus dem Windschatten, sodass er vom Ergebnis zwar mit dabei war, aber es natürlich nicht zum Sieg gereicht hat. Das allergrößte Handicap, glaube ich, war einfach die Windrichtung. Wir hatten im Finale an den Bergen Gegenwind, wobei man da alleine ja leider nicht gegen eine 30 Mann starke Gruppe wegkommt. Aber wir sind zufrieden und blicken mit Zuversicht auf die Tour of Oman.“ – Rolf Aldag, Sportlicher Leiter

Jenthe Biermans (Team Arkéa-Samsic) raised a finger to the sky on Friday, as he powered to victory in the first edition of the Muscat Classic. At 27 years old, the Belgian rider claimed his first professional victory, a couple of weeks after his first podium finish. And it had a very special meaning for Biermans: “Last year, my girlfriend’s father passed away. He always said in his last words that I could win. This is for him.” He narrowly got the best of Jordi Warlop (Soudal Quick-Step) and Andrea Vendrame (AG2R Citroën Team) in the sprint from a reduced group. The riders will face new battles from Saturday, with the 12th edition of the Tour of Oman.

MUSCAT CLASSIC / TOUR OF OMAN 2023 INFO WITH ONE DAY TO GO

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Key points:
 Stars from all around the world have made their way to the Sultanate as they get ready to race the first edition of the Muscat Classic on Friday and then the Tour of Oman.
 The winner of the 2022 Tour of Oman Jan Hirt and his runner-up Fausto Masnada expressed their ambitions as they partner up with Soudal Quick-Step for more success.
 British icon Mark Cavendish is “very excited” for his first race with Astana-Qazaqstan and Belgian Cian Uijtdebroeks wants to “have fun” on Green Mountain.

A new Classic and an intense Tour
The time has come for a new race to rise in the Sultanate. On Thursday, representatives from the Oman Cycling Association and Amaury Sport Organisation held a press conference to present the first edition of the Muscat Classic, the only 1.1 classic in Asia, and the 12th Tour of Oman (February 11-15). “With its explosive course, the Muscat Classic will set the tone ahead of the Tour of Oman”, race director Franck Perque described. The finish is set in Al Bustan, where champions such as Fabian Cancellara, Bob Jungels and Alexey Lutsenko have shown their strength in recent years. Then, more climbing and explosive action await the riders with five stages around Muscat and through the desert. “The Tour of Oman has been ever growing and we are hopeful and confident the 12th edition of the race and the first edition of the Muscat Classic will allow us to meet new ambitions”, said Saif Al Rashidi, president of the Oman Cycling Association. Yann Le Moënner, CEO of ASO, expressed his “pride to develop a new stage of the relationship between us”.

Hirt x Masnada: “To perform like last year”
In 2022, Jan Hirt powered to the overall victory of the Tour of Oman with a strong assault against race leader Fausto Masnada on the slopes of Green Mountain. A year later, the two climbers return to the Sultanate but this time they partner up with a Soudal Quick-Step kit on their shoulders. “It’s a pleasure to race with Jan”, Masnada said. “We were already teammates for a few months with CCC and now we are back together. I like him, he’s a strong rider and we’ll try to perform like last year.” The defending champion Hirt hinted Masnada could take over this year: “We believe we can repeat success and we have strong climbers with Fausto, and also Mauri [Vansevenant]. So we’ll try to win the race. I think Fausto is in really good shape so maybe we will support him.”

Having “fun” on Green Mountain
The demanding routes of the Muscat Classic and the Tour of Oman have attracted strong climbers willing to overthrow Hirt and Masnada. “I’m happy about my condition at the moment and Saudi showed I’m at a good level”, Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates) said after he finished 2nd of the Saudi Tour. “Now I’m excited to race in Oman. It’s a new experience for me, a new challenge, and I look forward to Green Mountain. Everyone will be in his place, I just hope to be in front.” Already a podium finisher in the Tour of Oman (3rd in 2019), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) describes the iconic ascent as “the defining climb of the race. Let’s see if I can do a bit better this year. And we also want to do well from the very first day, also with Axel Zingle.” Among the best climbers of the field, Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) remembers he was “completely done” when he did Green Mountain in 2016. And the German champ hints his young teammate Cian Uijtdebroeks could show his immense talent in Oman. “I like long efforts and Green Mountain shouldn’t be too bad for me”, the Belgian 19-year-old says. “I want to have fun, try to go for GC, and if not I want to do well on the final day.”

Cavendish’s excitement and Merlier’s special celebration
Sprinters won’t have many options to shine this year in Oman but the race will nonetheless benefit from the participation of stars such as Mark Cavendish, riding his first race with Astana Qazaqstan, as well as Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) or Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates). “I’m very happy and very excited to know the guys better”, Cavendish said. “It’s a good race to do so.” As for Merlier, he won a cyclo-cross this winter with his new team. “If you can win a cyclo-cross, the condition must be good”, the Belgian national champion said. “Last week, I became a father so I’m even more motivated. Let’s see if I can do a special celebration soon.”

50 broadcasters, 190 countries and 5G
Fans from all around the world will be able to follow the action and enjoy the best images of the Muscat Classic and the Tour of Oman. Footage of the races will be available in 190 territories through 50 TV/Digital broadcasters with daily highlights and full race highlights. “The main novelty this year is we are working on providing a live feed with Oman TV through 5G, thanks to the infrastructures of the Sultanate allowing the development of this innovative option that we want to explore in other events, also in Europe”, said Yann Le Moënner, CEO of ASO. All the action and the best images will also be available on social media with live coverage on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

MUSCAT CLASSIC / TOUR OF OMAN 2023 PUNCHY TALENTS TAKE ON THE SULTANATE

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Key points:
 Defending winner of the Tour of Oman, Jan Hirt returns to the Sultanate with a new team, Soudal Quick-Step, where he joins forces with his runner-up from last year, Fausto Masnada.
 A 2-time winner of the race, Alexey Lutsenko is also back at the helm of Astana Qazaqstan Team alongside Mark Cavendish, participating in his first races with the Asian team.
 Fastmen such as Pascal Ackermann, puncheurs like Davide Formolo and climbers as talented as Emanuel Buchmann and Cian Uijtdebroeks also eye success on the explosive course of the Muscat Classic and the demanding roads of the Tour of Oman.

A familiar face with a new kit. The defending winner of the Tour of Oman Jan Hirt returns to the Sultanate, which will now host two races with the maiden edition of the Muscat Classic (February 10) on the eve of the 12th Tour of Oman. But the Czech climber comes to defend new colors: Soudal Quick-Step’s, where he joins forces with one of his main rivals from last year’s Tour of Oman, Fausto Masnada, winner of a thrilling stage 4 in Muscat and runner-up in the final overall standings. The Wolfpack is once again expected to shine in the desert, with other assets such as Mauri Vansevenant to shake the race and Tim Merlier to show his speed.

Some of the strongest opposition should come from Hirt’s former team, Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. In 2022, Rein Taaramäe was an essential asset to propel the Czech climber towards victory. This time, the Estonian veteran partners up with South-Africa’s pocket climber Louis Meintjes, who made history again last year with a stage win in La Vuelta and a place in the top 10 of the Tour de France… just ahead of Alexey Lutsenko, whose mix of punch and power have already granted him many successes in the Sultanate.

A 2-time winner of the overall standings of the Tour of Oman (2018, 19), Lutsenko has notably won stages up Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) and in Al Bustan, where the finish of the Muscat Classic is set. Will he launch another furious attack? Or will Astana Qazaqstan Team play one of their other strong cards to claim more success in Oman? The Asian team are used to shining in the Sultanate and they’re coming with the British icon Mark Cavendish (2 stage wins in the Tour of Oman) as well as the Under 23 world champion Yevgeniy Fedorov. Lutsenko also won the U23 rainbow jersey, in 2012, and so did Kristoffer Halvorsen (2016), the road captain for Uno-X as the Norwegian keeps growing towards their first participation in the Tour de France.

Among the strongest teams in the world, UAE Team Emirates also line up an elite sprinter, Pascal Ackermann, along punchy options such as Diego Ulissi and Davide Formolo. Classic experts like AG2R Citroën’s Greg Van Avermaet and Oliver Naesen will also be willing to bring battle on any occasion while climbers such as Ivan Sosa (Movistar) and Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) eye the final battles up Green Mountain, where Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) hopes to shine again (3rd in 2018, 6th in 2019).

Buchmann will join forces with the winner of the 2022 Tour de l’Avenir, Cian Uijtdebroeks who, on the eve of his 20th anniversary, appears ready to battle with the best riders in the world. The Belgian wonderkid won’t be the only young talent taking on the desert, as he faces the likes of Andrii Ponomar (Team Arkéa-Samsic), Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny), Roger Adria (Equipo Kern Pharma), Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar)… As for the Oman national champion, Faisal Almammari, he turned 23 years old last month and is more than willing to show the world the local grit.

18 teams: the main participants

Belgium
Bingoal WB: Kenneth Van Rooy
Intermarché-Circus-Wanty: Louis Meintjes
Lotto Dstny: Thomas De Gendt, Maxim Van Gils
Soudal Quick-Step: Jan Hirt, Tim Merlier

France
AG2R Citroën Team: Greg Van Avermaet, Oliver Naesen
Cofidis: Jesus Herrada, Axel Zingle
Team Arkéa-Samsic: Jenthe Biermans, Andrii Ponomar

Germany
Bora-Hansgrohe: Emanuel Buchmann, Cian Uijtdebroeks

Japan
JCL Team Ukyo: Benjamin Prades

Kazakhstan
Astana Qazaqstan Team: Mark Cavendish, Alexey Lutsenko

Malaysia
Terengganu Polygon Cycling: Jambaljamts Sainbayar

Norway
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team: Kristoffer Halvorsen

Oman
Oman National Team: Faisal Almammari

Spain
Burgos-BH: Miguel Angel Fernandez
Equipo Kern Pharma: Roger Adria
Movistar: Ivan Sosa, Matteo Jorgenson

United Arab Emirates
UAE Team Emirates: Pascal Ackermann, Davide Formolo

United States of America
Human Powered Health: Stanislaw Aniolkowski