Tour of Oman 2022 – Stage 1 [Highlights]

February 10, 2022

Tour of Oman 2022 – Stage 1 – Al Rustaq Fort – Muscat : 138 km

The Tour of Oman is a six-day stage race that – since its debut edition in 2010 – has typically taken place in early February, giving pro riders from all over the world a chance to kickstart their seasons with a week of dynamic, action-packed racing in the baking Omani heat. The race first entered the UCI’s Asia Tour and quickly became one of its flagship races, drawing some of the biggest names from Europe to its startline.

Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) won stage 1 of the Tour of Oman, beating Mark Cavendish (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl) and Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco) in a bunch sprint in Muscat.

The Colombian was expertly delivered to the line by experienced lead-out man Max Richeze and he unleashed a crisp sprint to claim his first victory of the new season. Cavendish was closing quickly in the final metres but he ran out of road and had to settle for second place on his first race day of 2022.

Gaviria endured a difficult 2021, notching up just one victory, and his UAE Team Emirates squad signed another marquee sprinter this winter in Pascal Ackermann. After beginning his campaign at the Saudi Tour last week, Gaviria got off the mark for 2022 with an assured sprint finish here.

“My team did really nice. Max made a big difference in the lead-out and then I’m really happy to work like this,” said Gaviria.

Richeze’s WorldTour career had looked to be over this winter when UAE Team Emirates did not initially renew his contract but he was belatedly added to their roster last month to cover for the injured Alvaro Hodeg. Richeze will thus remain at UAE Team Emirates until the end of the Giro d’Italia in May and the Argentinian underlined his value with a pitch-perfect lead-out here.

His effort in the final kilometre stretched out the group and left Cavendish with too much ground to make up by the time he launched his sprint within sight of the line. Cavendish, who sat in fourth wheel as the sprint began, showed a striking turn of speed in the closing metres and he will look to make the most of the opportunities that come the way of the fast men later in the week.

Groves took third on the stage ahead of GP de la Marseillaise winner Amaury Capiot (Arkéa-Samsic), while 20-year-old Paul Penhoët (Groupma-FDJ) was an impressive fifth. The French youngster is part of Groupama-FDJ’s development squad but has been promoted to the elite team for the Tour of Oman.

The 138km stage was animated by a three-man move featuring Jan Dunnewind (Team Novo Nordisk), Peio Goikoetxea (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Mohammed Al-Wahibi (Oman) that went clear in the opening kilometre, though the peloton was reluctant to grant the trio too much leeway on such a short stage.

Their advantage briefly stretched above three minutes before the sprinters’ teams began to whittle down the gap and the unity of the break fragmented on the day’s lone climb to Fanja, where Goikoetxea forged ahead alone.

In the main peloton, meanwhile, DSM took up the reins on the climb and their forcing briefly split the bunch into three distinct groups, with Max Walscheid (Cofidis) among the fast men caught out.

The peloton eventually reformed over the other side, with QuickStep-AlphaVinyl and Burgos-BH among those leading the pursuit of the lone leader Goikoetxea. The Basque gamely defended a slender lead deep into the finale, but he was swept up before the finish.

The stage was set for a bunch sprint, where the nous of Richeze and the speed of Gaviria won out. In the overall standings, Gaviria carries a lead of 2 seconds over Cavendish into Friday’s second stage from Naseem Park to Suhar Corniche.

Results :
1 Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) UAE Team Emirates 03:17:04
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
3 Kaden Groves (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
4 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Arkea-Samsic
5 Paul Penhoet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
6 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) UAE Team Emirates
7 Maximilian Walscheid (Ger) Cofidis
8 Hugo Page (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
9 Andrea Peron (Ita) Novo Nordisk
10 Mihkel Räim (Est) Burgos-BH
11 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
12 Carlos Canal Blanco (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
13 Harold Martin Lopez (Ecu) Astana Qazaqstan Development
14 Tord Gudmestad (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
15 Antonio Angulo Sampedro (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
16 Dorian De Maeght (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
17 Gianmarco Garofoli (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan Development
18 Luca Colnaghi (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
19 Niklas Eg (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
20 Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
21 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team DSM
22 Denis Nekrasov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
23 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
24 Elie Gesbert (Fra) Arkea-Samsic
25 Charles Planet (Fra) Novo Nordisk
26 Victor Langellotti (Mon) Burgos-BH
27 Fausto Masnada (Ita) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
28 Johan Meens (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
29 Kevin Vermaerke (USA) Team DSM
30 Henri Vandenabeele (Bel) Team DSM
31 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates
32 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
33 Nicolas Vinokurov (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Development
34 Johnatan Cañaveral Vargas (Col) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
35 Davide Villella (Ita) Cofidis
36 Alexander Konychev (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
37 Yousif Mirza Al-Hammadi (UAE) UAE Team Emirates
38 Felix Groß (Ger) UAE Team Emirates
39 Ryan Gibbons (RSA) UAE Team Emirates
40 Jetse Bol (Ned) Burgos-BH
41 Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
42 Juan Carlos Lopez Moreno (Col) Astana Qazaqstan Development
43 Michael Kukrle (Cze) Gazprom-Rusvelo
44 Luca Rastelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
45 Anthon Charmig (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
46 Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
47 Winner Anacona (Col) Arkea-Samsic
48 Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Arkea-Samsic
49 Joan Bou Company (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
50 Jan Hirt (Cze) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
51 Alexandre Vinokurov (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Development
52 Filippo Zana (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
53 Mario Aparicio Muñoz (Spa) Burgos-BH
54 Rein Taaramäe (Est) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
55 Sander Armée (Bel) Cofidis
56 Luca Covili (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
57 Kevin Colleoni (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
58 Marco Brenner (Ger) Team DSM
59 Abdulrahman al Yaaqoobi (Oma) Oman National Team
60 Laurent Pichon (Fra) Arkea-Samsic
61 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJ
62 Jonas Iversby Hvideberg (Nor) Team DSM
63 Stan Van Tricht (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
64 Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
65 Laurenz Rex (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
66 Hugo Toumire (Fra) Cofidis
67 Mauro Schmid (Swi) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
68 Peio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
69 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJ
70 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Groupama-FDJ
71 Mazin al Riyami (Oma) Oman National Team
72 Samuele Zoccarato (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
73 Said al Rahbi (Oma) Oman National Team
74 Umberto Poli (Ita) Novo Nordisk
75 Filippo Ridolfo (Ita) Novo Nordisk
76 Alexander Molenaar (Ned) Burgos-BH
77 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Novo Nordisk
78 Jan Dunnewind (Ned) Novo Nordisk
79 Miles Scotson (Aus) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:16
80 Gabriel Muller (Fra) Burgos-BH 00:00:17
81 Campbell Stewart (NZl) BikeExchange-Jayco 00:00:19
82 Mundher Al-Hsani (Oma) Oman National Team 00:00:24
83 Faisal Al-Mammari (Oma) Oman National Team 00:00:27
84 Stijn Steels (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 00:00:37
85 Gerd de Keijzer (Ned) Novo Nordisk
86 Szymon Sajnok (Pol) Cofidis
87 Callum Scotson (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 00:00:50
88 Cameron Meyer (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
89 Nathan Vandepitte (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB 00:00:57
90 Marcus Sander Hansen (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
91 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
92 Julius Johansen (Den) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 00:01:19
93 Marco Canola (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:01:20
94 Kelland O’Brien (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
95 Husam al Rawahi (Oma) Oman National Team 00:01:22
96 Louis Blouwe (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB 00:01:46
97 Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 00:01:56
98 Mohammed Al-Wahibi (Oma) Oman National Team 00:02:20
99 Angel Fuentes Paniego (Spa) Burgos-BH
100 Clément Davy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 00:02:42
DNS Martin Urianstad (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
DNS Mathijs Paasschens (Ned) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) UAE Team Emirates 03:16:54
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 00:00:02
3 Peio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 00:00:04
4 Kaden Groves (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 00:00:06
5 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:09
6 Jan Dunnewind (Ned) Novo Nordisk
7 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Arkea-Samsic 00:00:10
8 Paul Penhoet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
9 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) UAE Team Emirates
10 Maximilian Walscheid (Ger) Cofidis
11 Hugo Page (Fra) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
12 Andrea Peron (Ita) Novo Nordisk
13 Mihkel Räim (Est) Burgos-BH
14 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
15 Carlos Canal Blanco (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
16 Harold Martin Lopez (Ecu) Astana Qazaqstan Development
17 Tord Gudmestad (Nor) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
18 Antonio Angulo Sampedro (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
19 Dorian De Maeght (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
20 Gianmarco Garofoli (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan Development
21 Luca Colnaghi (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
22 Niklas Eg (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
23 Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
24 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team DSM
25 Denis Nekrasov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
26 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
27 Elie Gesbert (Fra) Arkea-Samsic
28 Charles Planet (Fra) Novo Nordisk
29 Victor Langellotti (Mon) Burgos-BH
30 Fausto Masnada (Ita) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
31 Johan Meens (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
32 Kevin Vermaerke (USA) Team DSM
33 Henri Vandenabeele (Bel) Team DSM
34 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
35 Nicolas Vinokurov (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Development
36 Johnatan Cañaveral Vargas (Col) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
37 Davide Villella (Ita) Cofidis
38 Alexander Konychev (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
39 Yousif Mirza Al-Hammadi (UAE) UAE Team Emirates
40 Felix Groß (Ger) UAE Team Emirates
41 Ryan Gibbons (RSA) UAE Team Emirates
42 Jetse Bol (Ned) Burgos-BH
43 Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
44 Juan Carlos Lopez Moreno (Col) Astana Qazaqstan Development
45 Michael Kukrle (Cze) Gazprom-Rusvelo
46 Luca Rastelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
47 Anthon Charmig (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
48 Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
49 Winner Anacona (Col) Arkea-Samsic
50 Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Arkea-Samsic
51 Joan Bou Company (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
52 Jan Hirt (Cze) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
53 Alexandre Vinokurov (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Development
54 Filippo Zana (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
55 Mario Aparicio Muñoz (Spa) Burgos-BH
56 Rein Taaramäe (Est) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
57 Sander Armée (Bel) Cofidis
58 Luca Covili (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
59 Kevin Colleoni (Ita) BikeExchange-Jayco
60 Marco Brenner (Ger) Team DSM
61 Abdulrahman al Yaaqoobi (Oma) Oman National Team
62 Laurent Pichon (Fra) Arkea-Samsic
63 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJ
64 Jonas Iversby Hvideberg (Nor) Team DSM
65 Stan Van Tricht (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
66 Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
67 Laurenz Rex (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
68 Hugo Toumire (Fra) Cofidis
69 Mauro Schmid (Swi) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
70 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJ
71 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Groupama-FDJ
72 Mazin al Riyami (Oma) Oman National Team
73 Samuele Zoccarato (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
74 Said al Rahbi (Oma) Oman National Team
75 Umberto Poli (Ita) Novo Nordisk
76 Filippo Ridolfo (Ita) Novo Nordisk
77 Alexander Molenaar (Ned) Burgos-BH
78 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Novo Nordisk
79 Angel Fuentes Paniego (Spa) Burgos-BH
80 Miles Scotson (Aus) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:26
81 Gabriel Muller (Fra) Burgos-BH 00:00:27
82 Campbell Stewart (NZl) BikeExchange-Jayco 00:00:29
83 Mundher Al-Hsani (Oma) Oman National Team 00:00:34
84 Faisal Al-Mammari (Oma) Oman National Team 00:00:37
85 Stijn Steels (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 00:00:47
86 Gerd de Keijzer (Ned) Novo Nordisk
87 Szymon Sajnok (Pol) Cofidis
88 Callum Scotson (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 00:01:00
89 Cameron Meyer (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
90 Nathan Vandepitte (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB 00:01:07
91 Marcus Sander Hansen (Den) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
92 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
93 Julius Johansen (Den) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 00:01:29
94 Marco Canola (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:01:30
95 Kelland O’Brien (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
96 Husam al Rawahi (Oma) Oman National Team 00:01:32
97 Louis Blouwe (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB 00:01:56
98 Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 00:02:06
99 Mohammed Al-Wahibi (Oma) Oman National Team 00:02:28
100 Clément Davy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 00:02:52