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.