This week is an extremely busy affair in professional cycling as no less than four stage races will take place in Oman, France, Spain and Portugal respectively. Instead of doing our usual extensive stage preview, we will provide a short preview of the stages each day.

 

Tour of Oman, stage 5:

The course:

In 2013, the organizers introduced another crucial stage that finished with several passages of the tough Bousher al Amerat climb before it descended back to a finish in front of the Ministry of Housing. The stage produced some very exciting racing and in 2014 a slightly changed version of the stage was back on the course. As it again delivered a fantastic race, the exact same finale was set to feature on the penultimate day of the race but wind and heat forced the organizers to cancel it due to a rider protest. That hasn’t prevented them from including it in the 2016 edition too, offering the climbers a final chance to change the GC on the eve of the final sprint stage.

 

The stage will bring the riders over just 119.5km from coastal Yiti (Al Sifah) just a few kilometres east of Muscat to a new finish at the Ministry of Tourism on the hilly eastern outskirts of the capital. From the start, they will travel along lumpy coastal roads as they approach Muscat and they will contest the first intermediate sprint after 29km of racing.

 

The riders will get an early chance to test their climbing legs when they will tackle the Al Jissah climb (1.4km, 8.9%) after 33km of racing. For some it will be a welcome return as it was the climb that featured in the finale of stage 1. Just seven kilometres later, they will reach the top of the Al Wadi Al Kabir climb (1.9km, 6.3%) and then it is back onto flat roads as they enter the capital to do a small circuit in the city.

 

The riders will now travel along flat roads to the suburb of Al Amerat and this is where the finale starts when the riders hit the hilly circuit with the Bousher al Amerat climb. First they will go up the climb from its easy side where it averages 6.8% over 3.2km. From there they will descend to Muscat from where they will turn around to do a full lap of the 29.5km circuit which is very straightforward. The first 3.4km consist of the climb of Bousher Alamrat from its steepest side where ir has an average gradient of 8.8% and is followed by a short descent and a small flat stretch. Then they do a U-turn and head back up the climb from its easier side again. There will be KOM points on offer at the first two passages of the climb while the final intermediate sprint is located at the top after the final passage.

 

From the top of the final climb, 13.5km remain. They consist of the final downhill section of the circuit after which the riders continue back towards the city and the finish at the Ministry of Tourism. There will be a number of sweeping bends inside the final 5km which are completely flat until the riders get to two sharp left-hand turns inside the final kilometre. The finishing straight is 500m long and 8m wide.

 

Compared to the 2014 and 2015 editions of this stage, the riders will only do the climb thrice like they did in 2013. Furthermore, the finish has been moved to the Ministry of Tourism which has increased the distance from the top of the final climb to the finish by one kilometre.

 

In 2013, the riders tackled the same number of climbs in the finale, meaning that they did the easy side twice and the hard one once. On that occasion, a true spectacle unfolded, with Sky riding tempo to whittle down the group the first time up the climb. On the steep ascent, Vincenzo Nibali attacked but he was quickly passed by Alberto Contador. The Spaniard crested the summit with a gap but Richie Porte brought him back in time for the final climb to start. At that point, the lead group only contained 16 riders and it split to pieces when Contador attacked on the final ascent. Cadel Evans tried to join him but was passed by Chris Froome and Joaquim Rodriguez who bridged the gap. The trio managed to stay away to the finish, with Froome winning the sprint to increase his overall lead, while Daryl Impey won the sprint for 4th from a 7-rider group that lost 4 seconds.

 

In 2014 Chris Froome again made a big attack on the final climb and initially only Rigoberto Uran could match him. However, a strong headwind made it impossible to stay away and instead Uran, Vincenzo Nibali and Peter Sagan escaped on the descent. The trio managed to stay away and it was Sagan who won the sprint to take his first win of the year. Last year’s stage was cancelled.

 

The weather:

Saturday will be another day with bright sunshine and a maximum temperature of 26 degrees. There will be a moderate wind from a northerly direction. This means that the riders will have a cross-headwind for the first part before they briefly turn into a tailwind. On the final circuit, there will be a cross-headwind on the first and third climb and a cross-tailwind on the second climb. After the descent, it will be a crosswind.

 

The favourites:

Vincenzo Nibali confirmed his status as the strongest rider in the race even though he was not the dominant figure that we had expected. It was a close battle with Romain Bardet who again confirmed his steady progress and proved that he is one of the future top climbers. At the same time, Rui Costa and Tom Dumoulin proved that they have a fantastic ability to ride at their own pace and that allowed them to finish close to the best on a climb that should be too steep for them.

 

There’s just one GC day left in the race. History shows that things can change on the Bousher al Amerat climb but much usually depends on the wind. If there’s a headwind in the finale, there is a bigger chance that we will get a sprint from a small group while a tailwind makes it much easier to make a difference.

 

Nibali doesn’t have a big lead but he has proved that he is the strongest rider and he has the best team. Hence, there is very little chance that he will get into difficulty and the team can always sacrifice Fuglsang’s third place if needed. Ag2r lost their two-pronged attack as Domenico Pozzovivo lost too much time so Nibali only really has to be concerned with Bardet and Dumoulin.

 

It’s a short, intense stage and so many riders will be keen to attack on a day where there’s no obvious favourite. Astana will be pleased to get rid of the bonus seconds but we expect Dimension Data and BMC to bring it back together as they are both eyeing a stage win.

 

There will be a headwind on the two easy climbs and so the difference has to be made the second time up the ascent where the climb is steeper and there is a tailwind. This is where Ag2r have to try to test Astana and we wouldn’t be surprised if Pozzovivo creates a huge selection. Bardet will probably try to attack but as he won’t be able to distance Nibali, we will probably have a regrouping. On the final climb, it will be much harder to make a difference and it will be difficult for anyone to stay clear in the headwind finale.

 

Edvald Boasson Hagen and Greg Van Avermaet want a sprint from a small group but it won’t be easy to control if they don’t have any teammates. Van Avermaet is likely to be isolated but Dimension Data have proved that they have a very strong team. Kudus, van Rensburg and Pauwels should all be there and this makes it more likely that we will get a sprint from a small group. However, it will be possible for a good climber who is not in contention for the podium spots to make a solo move in the finale.

 

However, we will put our money on Edvald Boasson Hagen. The Norwegian showed great form in stage 2 and was climbing impressively today. The second climb could be a bit too hard for him but he won’t be far behind at the top. There’s a big chance that we will have a regrouping and then it’s up to Dimension Data to keep it together for a sprint where Boasson Hagen will be the fastest.

 

The terrain is also great for Greg Van Avermaet who is now out of GC contention and will have a bit more freedom. Like Boasson Hagen, he may suffer a bit on the second climb but he should make it back. He is obviously one of the fastest in a sprint and may have a chance to beat Boasson Hagen. However, he can also make a late attack.

 

Tom Dumoulin’s form is getting better and better and he will be up there in the finale. Among the top riders on GC, he should be the fastest and he was not far off Boasson Hagen’s speed in the sprint on stage 2. If the best climbers manage to get rid of the classics riders, he will be the fastest. Furthermore, he has the skills to make a late move.

 

Gianluca Brambilla confirmed his good condition in today’s stage and he will be ready to go for a stage win tomorrow. He is not in podium contention and likes these shorter climbs. He is fast in a sprint and can also make a late move.

 

Eduardo Sepulveda made a big gamble in today’s stage and paid the price in the end. However, he is in great form and will have the chance to attack in the finale. The same goes for Rui Costa who is a master in timing a late move.

 

The Etixx-QuickStep pair of Dan Martin and Bob Jungels should both be there in the finale and they are out of the GC battle, meaning that they can both attack. The same goes for Janez Brajkovic who is showing growing condition and has a very aggressive mindset. Finally, Davide Rebellin is much better suited to this terrain and as he is out of the GC battle, he may get the freedom to attack

 

CyclingQuotes’ stage winner pick: Edvald Boasson Hagen

Other winner candidates: Greg Van Avermaet, Tom Dumoulin

Outsiders: Gianluca Brambilla, Eduardo Sepulveda, Rui Costa

Jokers: Bob Jungels, Dan Martin, Janez Brajkovic, Davide Rebellin

 

Vuelta a Andalucia, stage 4:

The course:

After three days of survival, it will finally be time for the GC riders to come to the fore on the penultimate day which offers what could be the most decisive stage of the entire race. The Ruta del Sol has usually included a time trial but it has mostly been a relatively short prologue. This year the time triallists and GC riders will face a much longer stage but it will not be all about power as some tough climbs will make it a test of versatility.

 

The stage is 21km long and starts and finishes in the city of Alhaurin de la Torre. The riders will first head to the west along mostly straight and flat roads until they get to a small 3.3km climb that averages 1.9%. Based on the profile, it could be much shorter and steeper though. From there, they will mainly descend to the intermediate time check which comes at the 11km mark.

 

The second part of the stage will see the riders travel back to Alhaurin de la Torre along much flatter roads. Having returned to the city, they will follow a straight road for a little while before turning around and heading back towards the finish. Back in the city, the roads will be slightly ascending during the final 3km and gradually get steeper and steeper. The final 900m average 5.5%. The finale won’t be technical as there will be turns with 1.3km and 900m to go and then it’s straight through two roundabouts for with 600m and 500m to go respectively.

 

We provide you with previews of the stages in Oman, Andalusia and Algarve

 

Alhaurin de la Torre hosted the final stage in 2015 when Juan Jose Lobato beat John Degenkolb in and uphill sprint.

 

The weather:

The cold conditions of recent days will be replaced by bright sunshine and maybe a few clous late in the afternoon. The maximum temperature will be 17 degrees. It will be very windy as a relatively strong wind will be blowing from an easterly direction. This means that it will first be a tailwind and then a headwind. In the finale, it will first be a cross-tailwind and then a crosswind.

 

The favourites:

Until now, it has been a bit of a waiting game for the GC contenders but now it is finally time for them to show their cards. This is probably the most important stage in the battle for the overall victory and also a crucial test for many of the grand tour stars.

 

The time trial can be compared to the one the riders faced in Valencia but this one is longer and a bit flatter, with no really long climb. However, they still face to serious hills, most notably in the final kilometre. At the same time, there will be a strong wind which should suit the powerful riders. Overall it’s a very mixed course that also has some technical parts and so should suit versatile riders.

 

Jerome Coppel has developed himself into one of the best time triallists in the world and this is the kind of course that he loves. Generally, he does best on rolling courses but recently he has also been very strong on flat days. He has proved his great form by crushing the opposition in the Etoile de Besseges time trial and this course maybe even suits him a bit better. The in-form Frenchman is our favourite.

 

Vasil Kiryienka is the reigning world champion but came up short in Valencia. He usually needs long time trials to be at his best and so should benefit from the longer distance. He seems to be in great condition as he has spent almost the entire race on the front but it will also have cost him some energy. However, with his good climbing skills and great power, he will be one of the best here and he could get his first win in the rainbow jersey.

 

Tejay van Garderen is the favourite to win overall and in Murcia he proved that his form is great. He even claims to be better than he was 12 months ago when he was flying at this time of the year. In the past, he was a great time triallist but he has not been at the same level recently. On the other hand he has not done many time trials during the past year so this is the time for him to show that he is still a specialist.

 

Wout Poels has never been a specialist but was a surprise winner in Valencia. This TT is a bit flatter so it will be hard to repeat the feat but it won’t be impossible as he is in great form. Alejandro Valverde will also be ready to strike as he is an excellent time triallist on this kind of course. Most recently, he did a very good TT at the Vuelta but he is not in his best form yet.

 

Fabio Felline suddenly became a bit of a TT specialist in 2015 and this mixed time trial suits him really well. His form is clearly good and he will be eager to make up for the recent near-misses. It’s also a first test for Wilco Kelderman who makes his debut here. He is aiming for a slower start but has looked strong in the first stages. However, he has not been time trialling at his usual level until he suddenly impressed at the Eneco Tour. Sylvain Chavanel is also in very good form and this course suits him.

 

Reto Hollenstein has done some very good TTs recently, most recently in Valencia, and he seems to be in the form of his life. Kanstantsin Siutsou also looks strong and on his best days he can do a very good TT. Tobias Ludvigsson has been strong all year and it is time for him to prove that he can return to his former level. Finally, this is the kind of course that Javier Moreno really likes and he has developed into a bit of a specialist.

 

CyclingQuotes’ stage winner pick: Jerome Coppel

Other winner candidates: Vasil Kiryienka, Tejay van Garderen

Outsiders: Wout Poels, Alejandro Valverde, Fabio Felline, Wilco Kelderman, Sylvain Chavanel

Jokers: Reto Hollenstein, Kanstantsin Siutsou, Tobias Ludvigsson, Javier Moreno

 

Volta ao Algarve, stage 4:

The course:

In the last few years, the riders have tackled the traditional queen stage to Alto do Malhao on the penultimate day while the sprinters have battled it out on the final day. This year those two stages have been switched and so the sprinters will have their final say in stage 4 before the climbers will decide the race on the final day of the race.

 

This year the second sprint stage will finish in the city of Tavira for the first time since 2012 after the city hosted a time trial in 2013 and has not had a finish since. At 194km, it’s another long stage that starts in S. Bras de Alportel very close to the finishing city. The course is made up of a big, relatively hilly circuit in the interior of the country before the riders return to the coast for a flat run along the seafront to the finishing city.

 

From the start, the riders will head along lumpy roads in a westerly direction and then head noth to tackle a third category 3 climb. They will continue until they get to the first intermediate sprint at the 49.8km mark from where they turn to the east to tackle the long category 3 climb of Barranco do Velho (6.6km, 4.4%). Another lumpy section leads to a long gradual descent that leads to a much flatter part of the country. With 58.5km to go, they are almost back at sea level and here they will contest the second intermediate sprint before following a flat road along the river back to the coast. The final intermediate sprint comes with 22.6km to go and then it’s a flat coastal road to the finish in Tavira. The final part of the stage is uncomplicated as the riders will follow a relatively straight road until they turn left just before the flamme rouge. Having passed through a roundabout with 600m to go, there’s a sharp right-hand turn 400m from the line. The road is descending from 1300m until 600m remain and then the final 400m are uphill at an average gradient of 4.5%.

 

Tavira hosted the time trial won by Tony Martin in 2013. Gerald Ciolek and André Greipel took sprint wins in 2012 and 2011 respectively and Sebastien Rosseler took a breakaway win in 2010. Alberto Contador and Stijn Devolder claimed TT victories in 2009 and 2008 respectively and Marco Zanotti claimed consecutive sprint wins in 2007 and 2006. Bernhard Eisel was the fastest in 2005 and Lance Armstrong won the TT in 2004 but the race also hosted stage finishes every year in the years prior to Armstrong’s victory.

 

The weather:

It will be another day of beautiful sunshine and a maximum temperature at the finish of 17 degrees. It will be less windy, with a moderate wind blowing from an easterly direction and it will be less strong in the finale. This means that it will mainly be a headwind and then there will be a long crosswind section before the riders turn into a cross-tailwind along the coast. It will be a cross-tailwind sprint.

 

The favourites:

It was a huge loss to see Luis Leon Sanchez crash out of the race as the Spaniard is in great condition. However, he was already losing ground to Geraint Thomas in the first part of the TT and as he would probably have been beaten by the Brit on the steeper Malhao on the final day, it would have been hard for him to win overall. With his great TT, Thomas is now in prime position to win overall as he should easily take back 3 seconds on Martin on the Alto do Malhao.

 

The GC riders will get a chance to take it a bit easier in tomorrow’s stage. It is the final chance for the sprinters so there is no doubt that Etixx-QuickStep and Lotto Soudal will control things firmly. There will be no chance for the early breakaway and it should come down to a bunch sprint.

 

However, the GC riders have to be on their toes. It won’t be as windy as it has been recently but there will be lots of crosswind. Most importantly, there will be a cross-tailwind in the final part along the coast and we won’t be surprised if the peloton splits here.

 

Etixx-QuickStep and Lotto Soudal have the best teams for these conditions and they will probably be the ones to take the initiative. Hence, Greipel and Kittel will both be there in the finale and they will be ready to battle it out.

 

The uphill finish is not tailor-made for the two big guys and there is a chance that we can have a surprise. On the other hand, the final climb is very short and they can both use their power to get up such a short ascent.

 

In the first stage, the Etixx lead-out was destroyed by crashes and so Lotto Soudal were the strongest. However, Marcel Sieberg and Greg Henderson are still absent and we think that Etixx should have the upper hand. At the same time, Kittel is faster than Greipel and he has managed to win this kind of uphill sprint in a past edition of Paris-Nice. He finished sixth on Hatta Dam in Dubai and is in excellent form. If his team can get him into a good position, he should be able to win this one.

 

Kittel probably has a better track record than Greipel in this kind of sprint but the Lotto Soudal German is no slouch either. Lotto Soudal still have a fantastic lead-out in this race and it will be a close battle between the Belgian teams. Greipel probably has to be ahead of Kittel at the launch of the sprint but Lotto Soudal could be strong enough to make it happen.

 

The uphill finish could open the door for Jasper Stuyven. He was third in the first stage and has been flying all year. This is the kind of finish that he really loves and Trek have a great team to deliver in a good position. He is not fast enough to win a normal bunch sprint but here he has a chance.

 

Dylan Groenewegen is probably the third fastest rider in this race and has proved his excellent form in Valencia. LottoNL have a great team to support him and were unfortunate to be taken out by crashes in stage 1. He won an uphill sprint at last year’s Brussels Cycling Classic so he should be strong here too.

 

Jonas Van Genechten won an uphill sprint at last year’s Tour de Wallonie and IAM have a great team to position him. It is also a good finish for Jose Joaquin Rojas who is not fast enough in a real bunch sprint but could do well here.

 

Wouter Wippert is the Cannondale sprinter but this finale doesn’t really suit him. This could open the door for Ramunas Navardauskas but he won’t like the late turn as he is poor at positioning himself. Salvatore Puccio may also be given a chance and he is obviously in excellent form. Finally, Eduard Prades will have a big chance in a finale like this one. He is a real puncheur but he would have preferred a harder finale.

 

CyclingQuotes’ stage winner pick: Marcel Kittel

Other winner candidates: André Greipel, Jasper Stuyven

Outsiders: Dylan Groenewegen, Jonas Van Genechten, Jose Joaquin Rojas

Jokers: Ramunas Navardauskas, Salvatore Puccio, Eduard Prades, Andrea Pasqualon

 

Tour du Haut Var, stage 1:

The course:

The new opening stage will bring the riders over 155km from Le Cannet des Maures to Bagnols en Foret. First the riders will travel from the start to the finish along lumpy roads that include the category 2 Col du Bravet (7km, 5%) at the 56.3km mark before they descend to the finish which they will reach after 62.4km of racing. Then they will tackle two different circuits around the finishing city. The first one is the hardest as it both includes the famous 20% Mur de Montauroux with 79.3km to go and another passage of the Col du Blavet (7km, 5%) just 21.1km from the end. Having descended to the finish, they will end the stage by doing two laps of a 7.5km finishing circuit. It’s not completely flat and the final 1.2km is slightly uphill.

 

The weather:

It will be a day of beautiful sunshine and a maximum temperature of 15 degrees. There will only be a light wind from a westerly direction. This means that it will be a tailwind in the first part. On the finishing circuit, it will first be a cross-tailwind, then a headwind and finally a cross-tailwind again

 

The favourites:

The stage is a typical one for the Tour du Haut Var. The Col du Blavet will be way too hard for most sprinters and there will be lots of teams who plan to make the race hard on the climb. The racing in Haut Var is always very aggressive and we will probably get a pretty strong breakaway after lots of attacking. However, many teams eye a potential overall victory so it will probably be back together for the final climb.

 

The Col du Blavet is not very steep but there is little doubt that the punchy classics riders will try to attack each other. However, it won’t be hard enough for the best riders to distance each other so they need to work well together to stay away. There is a long time to get things organized for a sprint so we will probably get a reduced bunch sprint. However, it won’t be impossible for a small group of the best riders to stay away.

 

Of course there aren’t many sprinters in a hilly race like this and the final climb will be too hard for many of the fastest guys. One of the riders capable of surviving these climbs is Patrick Bevin who is making his European debut here. He showed good form in the Tour Down Under where he was 10th overall. He could be strong enough to follow the best on the climbs but he is also our favourite to win a reduced bunch sprint. Hence, he is our pick for tomorrow.

 

Francesco Gavazzi has been riding really well all year and he has his eyes on overall victory here. There is no doubt that he is one of the best climbers here and he could very well be the fastest if a small group makes it to the end. However, he will also be one of the fastest in a sprint from a bigger group.

 

Katusha are here with Alexei Tsatevich who is one of the fastest here. He has shown great form, most recently with his second place in Almeria. The final climb could be too hard for him but if he can survive he will be one of the favourites and he can rely on fast riders like Sergey Chernetskii, Viacheslav Kuznetov and Angel Vicioso to do the lead-out.

 

FDJ have lots of fast riders and it will be hard for them to pick their sprinter. Kevin Reza should be the fastest and is likely to be given the nod if he survives. Anthony Roux, Matthieu Ladagnous and Arthur Vchot will be the back-up plans and they can both take their chance if Reza is no longer there. The latter is in great form and will be one of the favourites if a small group makes it. Cofidis will be taking their chances with Julien Simon who loves this kind of reduced bunch sprint but he has not been sprinting excellently recently.

 

Movistar have two fast guys in Giovanni Visconti and Jesus Herrada who can both do well here. Herrada will probably be the protected rider as he is in great form but Visconti is probably slightly faster. Direct Energie have Ryan Anderson who specializes in these sprints and showed great form in Marseille.

 

Diego Ulissi will try his hand in the sprint too but he won’t be able to win a sprint from a bigger group and needs a small group if he wants to win. The same goes for Alexis Vuillermoz who has also been suffering from knee problems and may not be at 100%.

 

Taylor Phinney is making his debut here and his form is an unknown. At his best, he will be able to survive the climb and he can both make a late attack or mix it up in the sprint. Finally, Fernando Gaviria deserves a mention. He is obviously the fastest here and climbs really well. However, this is his comeback race after his San Luis crash so his team doesn’t expect him to survive. On the other hand, you never know with such a talented rider.

 

CyclingQuotes’ stage winner pick: Patrick Bevin

Other winner candidates: Francesco Gavazzi, Alexey Tsatevich

Outsiders: Kevin Reza, Julien Simon, Jesus Herrada, Ryan Anderson

Jokers: Giovanni Visconti, Diego Ulissi, Arthur Vichot, Alexis Vuillermoz, Armindo Fonseca, Taylor Phinney, Fernando Gaviria