Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans, Vincenzo Nibali and Joaquim Rodriguez are all expected on the start line for six days of racing that should give an accurate barometer of the early-season form of riders who will challenge at Grand Tours later in the year.
This year marks the fourth edition of the race and the stature of the event has risen yet again. All eyes will be on the stage four and the ascent of the now famous ‘Green Mountain’.
Like Qatar, there are bonus seconds up for grabs throughout the race, with intermediate sprints offering three, two and one seconds to the first three riders over the line and ten, six and four seconds available for the first three finishers.
Monday 11 February: Stage 1 – Al Musannah to Sultan Qaboos University, 162km
The opening day of the race is tailor-made for a bunch sprint, but the route is far from pan flat. A stage of two halves, the riders will start on the coast and climb gently inland to an altitude of more than 450 metres at Al Awabi, with King of the Mountains points up for grabs on the way. After a 90-degree left turn, the road heads back downhill and the sprinters will need to be on their game straight away for an intermediate sprint. They will then head all the way back down into central Muscat, where a couple of tight turns could prove tricky for lead-out trains.
