Capiot’s resurrection
February 13 th 2024 - 12:46 [GMT + 4]
After a year 2023 hampered by injuries, Amaury Capiot (Arkéa-B&B Hôtels) claimed an emotional victory right on the line of stage 4 of the Tour of Oman 2024. The Belgian sprinter survived the climbs packed in a short stage from Fanja to Yitti Hills, where he narrowly got the better of Ide Schelling (Astana Qazaqstan), who was 3rd last year on the same finish, and Davide De Pretto (Jayco AlUla). The battle for the general classification remain extremely disputed, with Finn Fisher-Black (UAE Team Emirates) making the most of time bonuses through the stage to claim back the red jersey 3’’ ahead of Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quick-Step) on the eve of the final stage, set to decide the overall winner on the slopes of Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain).
The peloton rolls from Fanja early in the morning, as the course was adapted and shortened (104km) to take into account the exceptional weather conditions in the Sultanate of Oman. Stage 4 heads to Yitti Hills, with a punchy route that inspires attackers.
Blake Quick (Team Jayco Alla), Rasmus Bogh Wallin (Uno-X Mobility) and Matteo Malucelli (JCL Team Ukyo) are the first riders to set off. Many riders try to join them, unsuccessfully. After it stayed around 15’’, the gap reaches one minute after 20km.
Soudal Quick-Step control the attackers
On the day after Paul Magnier and Luke Lamperti took the race over in Al Bustan, Soudal Quick-Step set the pace. The attackers’ lead is controlled at around 2 minutes.
Burgos-BH up the ante on the first ascent of the day, the mighty climb of Al Jabal Road (Bousher Al Amerat), with 3.3km at 9.8%. The gap is down to 5’’ as Wallin goes first over the top. Lots of riders are dropped from the bunch, including the green jersey Magnier and the golden jersey Oscar Pelegri (Burgos-BH).
The situation settles on the valley. Carter Bettles (Roojai Insurance) tries to counter-attack but he can’t bridge across the leaders, who push their lead back up to 1’ into the last 40km.
The stage for Capiot, the red for Fisher-Black
The gap stabilises until Soudal Quick-Step and UAE Team Emirates accelerate towards the final ascents of the day. The attackers are caught at the bottom of the penultimate climb of the day, in Al Jissah, summited with 10.8km to go. Finn Fisher-Black (UAE Team Emirates) goes first to take 3 bonus seconds and the overall lead.
The pace remains hard until the finish, where a very reduced bunch sprints to the line. Ide Schelling (Astana Qazaqstan) almost takes it but Amaury Capiot (Arkéa-B&B Hôtels) pipes him. Davide De Pretto (Jayco AlUla) rounds out the stage podium.
