MUSCAT: Cycle KOM’s Mohammed al Wahaibi reclaimed the red jersey as Oman Royal Army’s Said al Rahbi won the fourth race of Oman Cycling Association (OCA) League in Qurayat on Friday.
Said al Rahbi finished the 116-km road race in two hours, 49 minutes and 39 seconds while Mohammed al Wahaibi came second (2:49:49) and Oman Royal Army’s Husam al Rawahi was third in 2:49:52.
The second place enabled Mohammed al Wahaibi (290 points) to edge Said al Rahbi (285) by five points to take the leader’s red jersey.
Third race winner Mazin al Riyami (2:50:01) slipped to fifth in the fourth race contested by 68 cyclists. The Salalah Club cyclist was third in overall standings with 280 points.
Husam al Rawahi came fourth with 250 points while Cycle KOM’s British rider Daniel Baldwin completed the top five list with 191 points.
Mohammed al Wahaibi also topped the Under-23 category to keep his white jersey. Salalah Club’s former winner Mundher al Hasani was second with 190 points while Oman Club’s Egyptian rider Islam Ayad finished third with 180 points.
BALDWIN TOPS 40 PLUS
Baldwin’s impressive fourth-place finish (2:49:56) enabled Cycle KOM to sweep all the three individual standings. The British cyclist topped the 40 plus category to keep his green jersey ahead of his team captain Paul Willcox (139 points). Bahla Club’s Saud al Mandhari (57) was third.
Cycle KOM captain Willcox was satisfied with the team effort in the fourth race.
“So it is a race we have traditionally done well as a team with the hill climb... Brad has won there, and I’ve been runner-up twice here. We need a good finish for Mohammed to get the GC (red) lead back. And this is what we did,” the cyclist from the United Kingdom told Oman Daily Observer.
“Our game plan worked to keep the peloton to the hill, then with our climbing power took Mohammed to the line. Although Mohammed was second to Said he took the GC back. Dan finished strong in fourth and I came eighth. Cycle KOM now hold all three jerseys, and jumped to second in the team standings. A good day in the office!,” Willcox added.
In the team standings, Said and Husam’s exploits earned Oman Royal Army a top spot in the standings with 985 points ahead of Cycle KOM on 916 points while Salalah Club were third with 875 points.
Oman Club (601) and Wave Riders (357) were in fourth and fifth spots respectively in the 15-team competition.
The fifth race of the seven-race OCA League will be an individual time trial for 24 km at Wadi Al Abyadh on January 5, 2024.
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