Marcel Kittel (GER) won the first stage of the Tour of Oman. At the end of the 162-kilometer stage, it was Kittel who crossed the finish line first, ahead of Davide Appollonio (AG2R) and Nacer Bouhanni (FDL). The win also gives Kittel the lead in the general classification.

Today’s stage was animated by a long breakaway by Kohei Uchima (JPN) and Bobbie Traksel (CSS), who escaped right after the start. Team Argos-Shimano and Orica-GreenEdge worked to control the breakaway, as both teams were aiming for a bunch sprint. The peloton caught Traksel 20 kilometers from the finish, and Uchima as well after another 10 kilometers.

The team kept control, and the Team Argos-Shimano sprint train brought Kittel into the finale in an excellent position. The last man in the train, Tom Veelers guided Kittel to the final few hundred meters.

“We started the stage today with a good plan, we followed the plan all race, and I felt really confident that we would be able to work it out,” said Kittel. “The entire team did such a good job, first in leading the chase during the stage, and then in bringing me to a good position in the finale. It was really great teamwork today.“

“This gives me confidence in my own fitness and in the performance of the team. It didn’t work out before, but we learned from the mistakes we made in the races earlier this year. Tomorrow we have another stage that will probably end in a sprint, and I see chances again in the last stage on Sunday.”