Arnaud Demare finished 11th in the third stage of the Tour of Oman that was again won by Alexander Kristoff but the French champion and the FJD staff remain calm. The potential is there, but the team lacks the luck to take the first victory of the year.

"Behind the three escapees and under tremendous heat (47 °), there was no race," explains sports director Martial Gayant. "In the finale, there was a headwind and so the, nervousness has grown steadily for the sprinters. The team really worked well around Arnaud although William Bonnet had a puncture with 6 kilometers to go but Steve Morabito and Arnold Jeannesson were also there to help. Then he was also unlucky to be boxed in as all the teams were working in the front. I think Kristoff is a bit above the rest but again Arnaud was boxed in. You have to take our troubles with patience. At some point, things will change and I see that Arnaud Démare is very serene. Although he wants to raise his arms to thank his teammates for all their work."

Even though it was even warmer than the day before, Thibaut Pinot had a better day. Everything had been done to make life easier, including having bags with ice that he could have in the back and neck.

"On Wednesday evening Thibaut was a little depressed and it was normal but today his moral was back and he told me tonight that he had wants to contest the stage to Green Mountain tomorrow," Gayant says.