MUSCAT: World champion rider Adam Yates of UAE Team Emirates made the best of his power skills to edge Jan Hirt of Soudal Quick-Step by few seconds in a sprint showdown to claim his professional overall victory in Tour of Oman 2024 in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar by winning the fifth and last stage on Wednesday.
In an extremely close sprint, the British rider had just enough in bank to take the title honours and leader’s red jersey. The modified concluding 72 km stage on Wednesday began from Samayil 'Al Fayhaa Resthouse' and finished at Al Jabal Al Akhdhar 'Green Mountain'.
Adam, who is gearing up for another challenge in UAE Tour early next week, completed the full tour within 14 hours, 22 minutes and 30 seconds while Jan Hirt of Czech Republic finished as runners-up after ending the full tour within 14 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds.
New Zealand rider Finn Lachlan Fox Fisher, ended in third place as he clocked 14 hours, 23 minutes and 9 seconds. UAE Team Emirates riders managed to end all the stages of the tour in the first place and followed by Soudal Quick-Step team while Intermarche-Wanty riders riders finished in third place.
“We came to Oman with high ambitions in Tour of Oman 2024 and I am happy that the team ended all the races with some wins. It was a nice week for us and we are looking for a new challenge in UAE tour next week to claim more triumphs. This race was great as we have young riders in the team and it was great for them to gain more experience,” the champion said.
“I saw many nice places in Oman in my first visit to this beautiful country. I will be back again for more wins in the near future,” he added.
“As a team we worked very well and implemented a good tactic. We will have few days rest ahead of another major assignment in the UAE tour,” the British rider signed off.
The peloton began action from Samayil 'Al Feyhaa Resthouse' for a short stage, with a 72-km course adapted to the exceptional weather conditions in the Sultanate of Oman. The iconic ascent up Al Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) looms on the horizon and it appeared attackers were eager to get there as soon as possible.
UAE TEAM EMIRATES IN CONTROL
The attacks started strongly but it took 19 kilometres of hard battle for four riders to get away. Huub Artz (Intermarche-Wanty), Lund Tobias Andresen (Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL), Tord Gudmestad (Uno-X Mobility) and Tegshbayar Batsaikhan (Roojai Insurance). Finn Fisher-Black’s UAE Team Emirates drove the bunch behind the leaders.
Into the last 25 km, the gap was up to 2’30’’. Astana Kazakhstan team joined UAE Team Emirates at the front of the bunch. The attackers maintained a lead of 2’25’’ as they entered the last 10 km. Kern Pharma also pulled the peloton to reduce the gap.
The Spanish rider Oscar Pelegri Ferrandis of Burgos-BH team managed to end all the stages of Tour of Oman 2024 with golden jersey. Kiwi youngster Finn Lachlan Fox Fisher from UAE Team Emirates took the overall general white jersey classification (Best Young Rider) and the 23-year-old also claimed the green jersey as he managed to lead the general ranking points with 24 points ahead of Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quick-Step) team.
“Great moments as finally I managed to complete all the five stages with the golden jersey. It is a good achievement to take title of this classification. Today, I tried to stay in the breakaway to keep the jersey in the front but it was not possible. Then, I tried to help my team. The Tour of Oman was a good race despite some changes in the route due to the weather conditions in Oman. The races were made shorter and safer by the organisers and we would like to thank them for this,” he said.
YATES TAKES OVER
The leaders faced the final climb with a gap of 2’10’’. Andresen and Gudmestad were quickly dropped. The peloton moved closer, trailing by 1’20’’ with 5 km to go. Artz went solo 4 km away from the summit. Behind him, Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) set the pace for Fisher-Black, but the young leader couldn't keep up when Jan Hirt (Soudal Quick-Step) accelerated inside the last 2 km. Yates followed him. The duo got back to Artz just inside the last kilometre. And Yates went on to drop Hirt, en-route to the stage win and the overall victory. Artz resisted the rest of the climbers to take third on the line.
Later, chief guest Basil bin Ahmed al Rawas, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth, handed the awards to the top winners in presence of Saif bin Sebaa al Rushaidi, Chairman of Oman Cycling Association.
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