Etixx - Quick-Step rider Tom Boonen earned another spot on the podium at 161km Tour of Oman Stage 1, from Bayt Al Naman Castle to Al Wutayyah on Sunday, in a slightly uphill finale that ended in a bunch sprint.

Andrea Guardini (Astana) won the race, with Boonen 2nd and Matteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling) 3rd.

The race came back together with about 30km to go in the stage. Johann van Zyl (MTN - Qhubeka) maintained a 35" advantage with 35km to go, but was caught.

Boonen now trails Guardini by 4" in the GC. Boonen is also 2nd by 3 points to Guardini (15 points).

Stage 2 from Al Hazm Castle to Al Bustan features two climbs — Al Hamriyah and Al Jissah — before descending toward the finish line. The finale is again slightly uphill.

“I gave a good sprint but the finish line was 50 metres too long,” Boonen told CyclingWeekly. “If it was 50 metres shorter, I may have won.

“We had done good work in the last five kilometres for the sprint, but in the 300 metres, I had to go, because I had everyone in the wheel.

“I was like a locomotive for them, and the line was still too far away, with a headwind and two to three per cent slope.

“In Oman, we do not need to come here as the favorites, and do the work every day like in Qatar. But I want to try my luck a few times in the sprints and today it was an opportunity, especially as the stage was not difficult."