British sprinter Adam Blythe has finished ninth in the bunch sprint on stage three of the Tour of Oman.

Meanwhile, 2015 Jayco Herald Sun Tour champion Cameron Meyer has finished safely in the bunch to remain just ten seconds off the pace on general classification ahead of tomorrow’s crucial stage.

On paper today’s stage looked set as one for the sprinters with a relatively flat 158.5km journey with no classified climbs, and predictions saw true.

“The plan was always to set Adam up in the bunch sprint,” sport director Laurenzo Lapage said.

“We came to the front with the team quite late, just 1.5km to go, because it was really windy and open towards the finish.”

Team Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff was too strong, adding his first Oman stage victory to the triple won in Qatar.

A trio of escapees bravely worked off the front from the early kilometres and by 20km into the stage had quickly extended their lead to seven minutes.

Peaking at just over nine minutes at the first intermediate sprint, the peloton reacted and worked slowly to diminish the gap. With 16km to go the race was back together for the expected bunch kick.

Tomorrow’s stage four will be the most crucial stage for general classification contenders with a mountaintop finish set to shake up the head of the race.

“In the valley before starting the last mountain it is important that the team stays around Cameron to protect him and specially to bring him into the best possible position to start that last climb,” Lapage said.

“Once we are there, the job from the team is done except for Pieter Weening who can help him out in the beginning of the climb and Damien Howson later on.”