Team Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff finished fifth in stage 1 of the Tour of Oman. After a mass sprint, Kristoff who won three stages in the Tour of Qatar last week, finished behind Andrea Guardini (Astana), Tom Boonen (Etixx – Quick Step), Matteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling) and Ramon Sinkeldam (Giant-Alpecin).

"We did everything we could but a mass sprint is always unpredictable. The team did a good job to bring me to the front, but it was hard. In the end I had to fight back from a position too far back. It was quite a miracle that I still finished fifth. It shows that my condition is really very good. The conclusion is that you cannot win very day," said Alexander Kristoff.

"Our riders are no programmable computers. On the field it always turns out differently than in theory. However, our team did a good race. It was nice to see that Team Katusha took its responsibility from kilometer zero. They chased down a break of four riders and did everything they could for our leader. It would be too easy if we would win every day," concluded Team Director Torsten Schmidt.

Team Katusha indeed chased down a break of four riders. At 30 kilometers from the finish in Al Wuttayah, after a 161 kilometer stage that started at Bayt Al Naman Castle, it was evident that a mass sprint would decide the stage win.

In tomorrow’s second stage no sprinter is expected to win because of the steep Al Jissah climb at 5,5 kilometer from the end, but with some sprinters in top condition,  you’ll never know.