The winner of the 2014 Tour de France Vincenzo Nibali tops the list of the favourites ahead of the coming Tour of Oman (February 17-22). He'll take part in the event for the fourth time in a row and doesn't hide his ambition to leave Muscat with another win under his belt.

To be held for the sixth time, the Tour of Oman has the incredible record of being the only event out of Europe to have welcomed the past six winners of the Tour de France. Following the path of Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, Cadel Evans, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali will make his way to the sultanate after being awarded the yellow jersey on the Champs-Elysées in Paris last July but it won't be anything new to him. He hasn't missed any Tour of Oman since he first took part in it in 2012 and won stage 5 atop Jabal Al Akhdar (Green Mountain). That's where he kind of re-launched his career after one year and half year without any victory.

“That's why I'll return to Oman with great pleasure again this year”, Nibali explained. “I like this race. I've had great satisfactions in Oman in the past, like my win at the Green Mountain in 2012. I hope to win there again even though I know I'll face a fierce competition.”

During a training camp in Spain in mid-January, his coach Paolo Slongo warned: “Vincenzo has prepared for the season better than last year. This time around, he won't wait for the month of June and the Italian championship to grab his first victory. It might as well happen as early as at the Tour of Oman.”

As Nibali foresees, his competitors will be of a high quality and ready to roar. Tejay Van Garderen and the overall winner of the 2012 Tour of Oman Peter Velits (BMC Racing Team), Roman Kreuziger and the King of the Mountain of the 2014 Tour de France Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Leopold König (Sky), Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin), Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) and Matthias Frank (IAM Cycling) will be the other climbers in contention.

Classics specialists and sprinters Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo), Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), Arnaud Démare (FDJ), Fabian Cancellara (Trek), Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quick Step), Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (MTN-Qhubeka) will also increase the prestige of the field of champions lining up in Oman.

18 teams : the leading riders

Australia
Orica GreenEDGE: Blythe (Gbr), Weening (Ned)

Belgium
Etixx – Quick Step: Boonen (Bel), Terpstra (Ned)
Topsport Vlaanderen Baloise: Wallays (Bel)

France
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits : Bouhanni, Petit (Fra)
FDJ : Pinot, Démare, Jeannesson (Fra)

Germany
Bora – Argon 18: Bennet (Irl), Nerz (Ger)
Team Giant – Alpecin: Barguil (Fra), Arndt (Ger), Sinkeldam (Ned)

Great Britain
Team Sky: König (Cze), Poels (Ned)

Italy
Bardiani CSF: Colbrelli (Ita)
Lampre – Merida: Costa (Por), Pozzato, Modolo (Ita)

Kazakhstan
Astana Pro Team: Nibali (Ita), Fuglsang (Den), Guardini (Ita)

Russia
Team Katusha: Rodriguez (Esp), Kristoff (Nor), Guarnieri (Ita), Moreno (Esp)
Tinkoff – Saxo: Sagan (Svk), Kreuziger (Cze), Majka (Pol)

South Africa
MTN – Qhubeka: Boasson Hagen (Nor), Bos (Ned), Goss (Aus)

Spain
Movistar Team: Valverde, Rojas (Esp)

Switzerland
IAM Cycling: Frank (Sui), Brändle (Aut), Elmiger (Sui)

USA
BMC Racing Team: Van Garderen (USA), Van Avermaet (Bel), Velits (Svk)
Trek Factory Racing: Cancellara (Sui), Arredondo (Col)