All you need to know with one day to go

February 6 ^th 2025 - 20:01 [GMT + 4]

• There are 123 riders on the start list of the fourteenth edition of the Tour of Oman, which will be preceded by the third edition of the Muscat Classic. These will be the first races of the 2025 season for many, including hot favourites such as the reigning champion, Adam Yates, and challengers such as David Gaudu and Cian Uijtdebroeks.
• Among the five stages of the Tour of Oman, stretching for a total of 881.4 kilometres, there are two where the general classification is likely to be decided: the summit finishes on Eastern Mountain in stage 3 and on Green Mountain in stage 5.
• Puncheurs such as Diego Ulissi and Valentin Madouas and sprinters such as the Dutchman Olav Kooij, Fernando Gaviria, Ethan Hayter and Pavel Bittner will also get their day in the sun.

SPRING IN THE AIR AT THE MUSCAT CLASSIC
The one-day race that began as warm-up act for the Tour of Oman in 2023 is gradually earning a place as an early-season challenge in its own right. The 170.3-kilometre course definitely lives up to its "Classic" epithet and lends itself to a hectic race, even though the first half is not particularly hard. In the words of the mastermind behind the course, Franck Perque, "The road starts to bend towards the sky at Bousher Al Amerat, which comes around the halfway point. This is not where the race will be decided, but it begins to string out the peloton and ramp up the tension". The battle will start in earnest 60 kilometres from the line, with each of the five climbs whittling down the peloton a bit further. "In the first two editions, there were only about thirty riders in contention by the time the peloton hit the Al Jissah climb, which ends 5 kilometres from the finish and is one of those places where fortune favours the bold. That's where Finn Fisher-Black broke away last year to take victory." One-day races with such a dynamic profile are few and far between at this time of year: "We find it particularly exciting to see in action riders who are rather more accustomed to shining in the heart of spring —Maxim Van Gils, Diego Ulissi, Roger Adrià, Amaury Capiot and Warren Barguil, to name but a few."

ADAM YATES: "I'D LOVE TO PULL OFF A REPEAT"
Adam Yates, the leader of UAE Team Emirates, will be wearing race number 1 in his title defence campaign at the Tour of Oman. The British rider, who finished on the bottom step of the podium in the 2023 Tour de France, put in a masterful performance in Oman last season. This time round, he will be able to count on teammates of the calibre of the Pole Rafał Majka and the Australian Jay Vine. "I really enjoy the routes we have here. It's the perfect place to start the season, especially if there isn't too much wind and the race doesn't become too hard to control", said the man to beat, who is not shirking his responsibilities: "Things are always different from one year to the next but, of course, I'd love to pull off a repeat."

DAVID GAUDU: "I'M FEELING GREAT… WE'LL SEE IF IT'S ENOUGH"
The Groupama–FDJ leader, sporting his long hair tied up in a man bun, has not only changed his look for the 2025 season. David Gaudu will be targeting the Giro as his first major goal of the season and has therefore reshuffled his usual calendar to take part in the Tour of Oman for the first time in his career: "I wanted to shift my preparation forward a bit, so I can get the season going in the sun and discover a new race with an interesting route." The Breton pointed to the puncheur-friendly stages and the two summit finishes where he feels capable of going toe to toe with Adam Yates: "He's the favourite and I'm sure he's in good shape. He knows how to manage the winter and the start of the season. Green Mountain is a cracking climb and, on my side, I'm feeling great… We'll see if it's enough to win, but it's also possible that I come up against someone stronger than me". Gaudu's roommate this week is Valentin Madouas, another Breton keen to ride the wave of success of the football club of Brest: "On my side, I'm planning a peak in form that should start with Strade Bianche and last until Liège–Bastogne–Liège. That means I'm not at 100% yet, but I can't wait to discover these punchy finishes. We recced the finish of the Muscat Classic this morning and there are some short but steep climbs. I'd love to start the week with a win or a solid result tomorrow".

CIAN UIJTDEBROEKS: "READY FOR THE GREEN MOUNTAIN SHOWDOWN"
The roster fielded by the Visma–Lease a Bike squad hints at a battle on all fronts. Olav Kooij is one of the most in-form sprinters over the past two seasons, with three wins in Paris–Nice and a victory in the Giro to his name. In his first appearance in the Tour of Oman, the Dutchman is eager to add continue filling his trophy cabinet and will have two opportunities to score: "Everything is in place. I'm feeling good and I didn't have any health issues this winter. But a sprint is never won until it is won, and there are other fast men out there such as Gaviria, Bittner or Hayter."

Cian Uijtdebroeks intends to make his mark in a very different way. He cherishes the memories of the Tour of Oman, where he competed in 2023 during one of his first outings as a professional at just nineteen: "It feels great to be back here, where I managed to finish in the top 10 overall. At the start of a season, you never know exactly where you stand, but I know I can put 2024 behind me, a year ruined by back problems that I've now managed to sort out. I'm keen to race and I feel ready for the showdown on Green Mountain. Adam Yates is certainly the strongest in the peloton and it's a very steep climb. You have to play your cards right and not attack too early."

DIEGO ULISSI: "THESE STAGES ARE RIGHT UP MY ALLEY"
Diego Ulissi is sporting a new jersey this year, with XDS Astana, having twice finished in the top 5 in the Tour of Oman —fourth in 2024 and fifth in 2023, which included a win on the Yitti Hills— while riding for UAE Emirates. The Italian can even be seen as one of the specialists in the race, a rider to watch on stages tailored for punchers, yet also capable of keeping pace on climbs such as Green Mountain. "I've always enjoyed racing here. The courses are varied and suit several types of riders. When you look closely, some of these stages are right up my alley. There isn't a single one where I'll be at a clear disadvantage. Even though there are some very strong climbers in the field, I know I can stay with them on Green Mountain."

There is every possibility that the Italian will build on his performance from 2024, a season in which he finished in the top 5 in six stage races, including a win at the Tour of Austria while his team leader, Tadej Pogačar, was giving on a recital in the Tour de France.

OMAN: A NATIONAL TEAM ON A MISSION
For one of the 18 teams on the start list, the Omani national team, the Tour of Oman is the marquee event of the season. Although a recent slew of injuries has depleted their roster to five riders, their Tunisian coach, Marouane Znagui, is confident that the hard work put in since last year will pay dividends. "We went on two training camps to prepare for the event", he explains. "One in late December to scout out all the stages and another in January, when we were at altitude on Green Mountain. We honed our shape for the Tour of Sharjah and now for the Tour of Oman." Mundher Al Hsani is one of the three Omani riders who spent four months in Normandy on a training camp with the Briquebec-en-Cotentin squad in 2024. "It was a great experience", says the 22-year-old. "It allowed us to take part in three or four races a week, which is something we are missing here." Just like the national champion, Mohamed Al Wahibi, and his predecessor, Said Al Rahbi, the youngster is built for the mountains and treats the Green Mountain stage as his special day, while keeping his ambitions in check: "I know that we're not good enough to vie for victory, but it would be crucial to put in a decent performance and get the national jersey some visibility. The ascent begins 120 kilometres into the stage, so it's going to be tough. Perhaps the right strategy will be to try and get in the breakaway so we can head into the finish with a small gap on the peloton". Said Al Rahbi was the highest-ranked rider of the team in his home race last year, 93rd overall. "We've come a long way, so our goal is to continue to improve and, why not, chase the combativity jersey."