Joaquim Rodriguez will attack the decisive hilly stages in the Tour of Oman.

In last year’s addition, he won the stage to Green Mountain but finished fourth overall. He has already raced in Argentina and Dubai before heading to objectives such as the Volta a Catalunya, the Ardennes Classics and the Giro.

 "I'm pretty happy with my form so far," he told Cyclingnews in Oman before Friday's stage to the Ministry of Housing and Saturday's finish on Green Mountain.

"Perhaps I'm not quite as fit as the same time last year because then my first peak of form was planned for Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

This year things are different because I'm targeting the Giro d'Italia. But my form is not bad. I don't know if it's good enough to do something special but for sure we'll be up there."

"I'm up for it and want to win again on Green Mountain. Why not? I don't think Froome is as fit or as lean as he was last year. Contador isn't here either. I won last year and so why can't I win again?"

He knows Green Mountain will play a key role in deciding the winner of the race:

"It's the stage that will decide everything," he warned.

"It's a very hard climb, especially so early in the year. The gradient (5.7km at 10.5%) and being so early makes it one the toughest climbs we do all year."

"I like it because it's the final decisive stage, I like it because it's a showdown. Bring it on."