The sprinters, classics riders, time triallist and puncheurs have had their chance to shine in the Dubai Tour and the Tour of Qatar but now it is time for the climbers to come to the fore when the triptych of races in the Middle East comes to a close with the Tour of Oman. As the perfect end to a unique block of racing on the international calendar, the Omani race has - in just four years of existence - developed into the first big rendezvous for the best grand tour riders in the world and even though it may have lost out to the Vuelta a Andalucia in the battle for the biggest stars, riders like Vincenzo Nibali, Joaquim Rodriguez, Alejandro Valverde and Thibaut Pinot headline a formidable line-up of climbers.

 

When Tour de France organizers ASO took the brave decision to team of with the Qatari authorities to create a new bike race in the Arabian desert state, few would have imagined that this would be the start of a true success story that has since turned into the most important block of racing in the early season and has prompted many of cycling stars to leave the traditional races in cycling's European heartland to instead race in warm and sunny conditions in the Middle East.

 

In less than a decade, the Tour of Qatar built up a reputation as the preferred preparation race for sprinters and riders who target the cobbled classics. Eager to showcase their beautiful country, the Omani authorities wanted to capitalize on that success and try a similar formula and in 2010 they joined forces with ASO to host the inaugural edition of the Tour of Oman.

 

With ASO backing both races, there has been a great synergy between the two races which often have invited the same teams and have had a great overlap between the riders. However, there is a great difference between the two events and we will see a completely different kind of racing than the one we have witnessed in the recent Tour of Qatar.

 

Qatar is a country with almost no elevation differences and the spectacle is created by the wind which often turn the race into a true war when the best classics riders battle for position in the first echelon. As opposed to this, Oman is a rather hilly country and even though many of the classics riders prefer to stay in the Middle East for another 6 days of quality racing under the sun, the final race in the Arabian block is one for the climbers.

 

Hence, it is no wonder that a number of the world's greatest grand tour riders have been travelling to Oman for the past few days, eager to test their condition and continue their preparation for their later goals. In just 4 years of existence, the race has built up a reputation as the preferred testing ground for the riders that will later shine in the grand tours.

 

It took some time for the organizers to find the right format, with the first edition being a flatter affair that was mostly determined by a time trial. Unsurprisingly, Fabian Cancellara took home the win during his reign as time trial king but for the next edition, the tables had been turned. With a summit finish on the race's landmark climb, the Green Mountain, the race had become one for the true stage racers, with Robert Gesink kicking off what was a splendid start to the year with a convincing overall victory.

 

By removing the time trial, the race was even more suited to climbers in 2012 when Peter Velits took a narrow win over Vincenzo Nibali. By the time the 2013 edition came around, the race had improved its reputation even further and on the hilliest course so far, Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali, Cadel Evans, and Joaquim Rodriguez battled it out in an exciting spectacle. Last year the line-up was similarly impressive when Froome, Rodriguez and Nibali again battled it out on the Green Mountain.

 

With the addition of the Dubai Tour, the block of racing in the Middle East has now developed into a triptych which offers 20 days of competitive action. As the combination of the three races offer a bit of everything, all riders now have an incentive to travel to the Arabian peninsula in February. The Tour of Oman is a fitting end to what has been a fantastic month of racing in a part of the world where cycling has no long history.

 

Only a time trial is missing as the race otherwise offers a bit of everything. With stages for the sprinters, hilly stages for classics riders and a big mountain stage, everybody will find terrain to their liking. Hence, it is no surprise to see a pretty varied field that includes riders of all kinds. However, the race has been dominated by stage racers and in 2013 and 2014 it was by far the stage race with the strongest field in the early part of the season. This year they have lost the battle against Vuelta a Andalucia which has Chris Froome, Alberto Contador and Nairo Quintana on the start line, but Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali remains loyal to the Omani race. As he is joined by Joaquim Rodriguez, Alejandro Valverde, Tejay van Garderen and Thibaut Pinot, the field is loaded with riders who finished in the top 5 of a grand tour in 2014.

 

The race may mainly be about preparation but it would be a mistake to expect the riders to take it easy during the 6 days. In fact, the win will be fiercely contested as it was the case 12 months ago. On that occasion, Chris Froome got what turned out to be some rare early success when he crushed the opposition on the Green Mountain to win the race overall for the second year in a row, with Tejay van Garderen and Rigoberto Uran completing the podium. It won’t be number three for the Brit though as he will be making his season debut in Andalucia and Uran has opted for a more low-key debut in France. However, van Garderen will be back, eager to do better than he did last year.

 

The course

Having originally been a race for time trialists, the Tour of Oman is now one for the climbers. The time trial has been removed from the route that now consists of a mixture of flat stages for the sprinters, tricky stages for puncheurs, and real mountain stages. As the race usually has very good weather, this makes it the perfect preparation race for almost any kind of rider. The organizers have continually made the race harder by adding more climbs, but now they seem to have found a formula, with this year’s course being very similar to the one used for last year’s race.

 

In total, the race has three stages for the sprinters and two hilly days for the classics riders of which one could potentially have an impact on the GC. The decisive stage, however, is the big summit finish on the Green Mountain which has now become a classic and one of the most anticipated races in February. In that sense, it has a bit of everything and it is no wonder that it is able to attract riders of all types who will all find something to their linking while also getting the chance to prepare for major events I good weather.

 

Stage 1:

The race has traditionally kicked off with a stage for the sprinters and that will again be the case in 2015. The stage is very similar to the one that opened last year’s race and has an almost identical profile.

 

The 161km stage starts at the Bayt al Naman Castle at the coast just west of the capital Muscat. After a short flat out-and-back section along the coast, they will head inland as they follow a long gradual uphill section until they reach the site of the first intermediate sprint at the 43km mark.

 

This marks the highest point of the stage as the riders now turn right to head back towards the coast along flat and gradually descending roads. Along the way, they’ll pass the site of the second intermediate sprint after 88km of racing before they hit the Muscat Express road at the 101km mark.

 

From here the riders will travel along the big road which is mainly flat, for the final 60km, passing through the outskirts of Muscat. The finish comes in Al Wutayyah just east of the capital. There is a small climb with 4.5km to go before flat roads lead to a descent with 2km to go. Then the roads are very slightly downhill until they are slightly rising for the final 300m.

 

As most of the stage will take place in the desert or close to the coast, there is a chance that the wind will come into play. However, Oman is not as windy as Qatar and the field has rarely been split in this race. With no major climbing difficulties and a flat finish, this should be the scene for a big bunch sprint and as usual, the first holder of the leader’s jersey will be a fast finisher.

 

Al Wutayyah has only hosted a stage finish once in the short history of the race. In 2011, Matthew Goss beat Daniele Bennati and Edvald Boasson Hagen in a bunch sprint at the end of the second stage.

 

 

 

Stage 2:

The pure sprinters will have to step out of the spotlight on the second day which may produce the first small shake-up of the GC. The second stage brings the riders over 195.5km – in general the Middle East races have increased the length of their stages on rider request – from Al Hazm Castle to Al Bustan where it will use the very exciting finale that has feature in the two most recent editions of the race.

 

The first part of the stage isn’t too exciting though as the riders travel along gradually ascending roads closer to the Green Mountain before they turn right and head back towards the coast. They will reach the highest point of the stage at the 35.5km mark where the first intermediate sprint is located and from there it is gradual descending until the reach the seafront.

 

The riders will reach the coastal road just before they will contest the final intermediate sprint at the 143km mark and now the roads are completely flat. They will ride along the coast for a little while before they pass through the city of Muscat.

 

This is where the exciting part starts as the riders will head straight through the city to make a small visit to the climbs that are located on the eastern outskirts of the city before they turn around to head back to the finish in Al Bustan just east of the capital

 

The first challenge comes at the 173km mark where the riders will climb the short, steep 800m climb of Al Hamriya whose average gradient of 9.8% will tire out the riders legs. From there it is a gradual downhill down towards the sea. Having turned around to head back towards the city centre, it is time for the day's major challenge, the 1.4km climb of Al Jissah that has an average gradient of 9% and whose top is located just 5.5km from the finish. It is followed by a fast descent that continues all the way to the 1.5km to go mark where the road flattens. 900km from the finish, the riders hit the coastal road when they go left in a roundabout. Last year the riders went over a small climb but this year the stage has been shortened by about 1km, meaning that the finish line now comes at the bottom of that small ascent.

 

In 2013, the stage saw Team Sky whittle down the peloton on the first of the climbs in the finale, providing a launch pad for Rinaldo Nocentini and Alberto Contador who attacked on the second one. The break didn't have any success but the fierce pace whittled down the peloton to just around 50 riders who were set to contest the win in a sprint. With limited domestique resources, however, no one took control, leading to an attack from Martin Elmiger, Vincenzo Nibali, and Tony Gallopin on the final small rise inside the final 2km. Sagan bridged across and instead of waiting for the final sprint, he launched an immediate attack to continue past his rivals, taking a beautiful solo win and the leader's jersey in the process.

 

Last year the peloton was again whittled down on the two climbs but as the riders faced a strong headwind on the final climb, some of the sprinters survived the climb. Meanwhile, Chris Froome, Peter Sagan, Zdenek Stybar and Fabian Cancellara launched a strong attack but they were caught inside the final kilometre. Hence, it came down to a sprint from a reduced peloton where André Greipel made use of his fast legs to beat Sagan and Nacer Bouhanni.

 

This stage has two potential outcomes as it may both be decided in a sprint from a reduced bunch or by a strong breakaway that escapes on the final climb. With the finish line coming 1km closer to the top of the ascent, there’s only a 900m flat section in the finale, meaning that the attackers will have a bigger chance. Much will depend on the wind as a headwind will favour the peloton but there is a chance that some strong climbers may use this stage to gain a few seconds on their rivals.

 

 

 

Stage 3:

The sprinters should be back in action on the third stage which has never featured in the race before. It brings the riders over 158.5km and both starts and finishes at Al Mussanah Sports City after a mostly flat circuit race.

 

From the start at the coast, the riders head into the desert along a gradually ascending road until they turn right just before the first intermediate sprint which comes after 34km of racing. After a short flat section, they head back along descending roads towards the coast. Having reached the As Suwayq Motel after 66.5km of racing, they will do one lap of a 70km circuit that sees them travel back into the desert along ascending roads and back towards the motel along descending roads.

 

Back at the motel, they will contest the final intermediate sprint after 136.5km of racing before continuing along the same road until they hit the coast. The final part consists of a flat run along the seafront back to the Sports City. The final kilometres are completely flat.

 

This stage is the easiest of the entire race and with very little elevation gain along the way, it should be one for the sprinters. As usual, the wind could come into play both in the desert and in the coastal section and this may create a surprise. However, the peloton has rarely split in this race and the most likely outcome is a big bunch sprint in the Sports City which has never hosted a stage before.

 

 

 

Stage 4:

Since the second edition in 2011, the Green Mountain, or Jabal al Akhdar, has played host to the finish of the queen stage of the race and been the scene of the season's first big mountain battle between some of the best grand tour riders in the world. With the stage having been a huge success in the past editions, the organizers have found little reason to remove the race's landmark climb and it will again be the scene of the queen stage. This year, however, the key stage comes on stage 4 after it was held on the penultimate day 12 months ago.

 

The stage is almost identical with last year’s but following the general trend, the distance has been increased. This year the riders will start at the Sultan Qaboos Grande Mosque in the city of Muscat and cover a total distance of 189km. Right from the start, they will head into the desert, approaching the might Green Mountain which will gradually become visible in the horizon.

 

In the first part, the roads are gradually ascending and the riders will contest the first intermediate sprint in this section after just 18.5km of racing. After 41.5km, they reach the city of Bidbid and from there the stage is identical to the one that was used last year. They will continue in a southerly direction as they approach the mountains, following a long, gradual uphill drag that will not be too challenging. They will reach a temporary top before heading down to Al Jarda where they will turn right.

 

From there, they will follow rolling roads for the next 86km as they travel in a predominantly westerly direction until they reach the site of the second intermediate sprint in Birkat Al Mouz. From there, only 11.0km remain but most of them are simply brutal.

 

The riders will start to climb immediately after turning right to head north out of the city but the first 5.8km will be easy as the gradients are very mellow. However, all hell breaks loose when the riders hit the bottom of the Green Mountain. It has a length of just 5.7km but with an average gradient of 10.5%, it is a real leg breaker.

 

The first two kilometres have an average gradient of 10% and the next one is even steeper at 12%. There is a bit of a respite at the midpoint, with a 6% section, but it is only a chance to breathe before the brutal finale. The final 2km have an average gradient of a massive 13.5%, making it one for the true climbers. The final 3km follow a mostly straight road with only some sweeping bends but inside the final kilometre the riders will go through a 90-degree turn and two hairpin bends.

 

The finish on the Green Mountain made its debut in 2011 when Robert Gesink put a massive 47 seconds into his nearest rival, Edvald Boasson Hagen. One year later, Vincenzo Nibali beat Peter Velits to move to within one second of the overall lead. In 2013, the climb was the scene of a thrilling battle between Cadel Evans, Alberto Contador, Chris Froome, and Joaquim Rodriguez, with lots of attacks and riders constantly dropping off before getting back to the front. Having already lost time on the previous stages, Rodriguez exploited the tactical face-off between his competitors to sneak away for the win while Froome accelerated inside the final kilometre to take 2nd and the overall lead. Last year Team Sky used an unusual tactic by sending Sergio Henao on the attack and when he was caught, Froome delivered a demonstration of force to take an impressive solo win.

 

With the field containing most of the world's best grand tour riders, the Green Mountain may again give the first indication of who's hot and who's not in 2014 and it will undoubtedly be the key point in determining the winner of the Tour of Oman. An early break will have no chance in this stage and all the great climbers are set to battle it out for the stage win on the brutally steep slopes.

 

 

 

Stage 5:

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 last year a slightly changed version of the stage was back on the course. As it again delivered a fantastic race, the exact same finale will feature on the penultimate day of the race, 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 151km from Al Sawadi Beach to the Ministry of Housing. Having done a small loop near the start, the riders will travel along the coast in an easterly direction as they head towards Muscat. The road is completely flat and after 30km, they will contest the first intermediate sprint.

 

Moments later, they will leave the coastal road to get onto the bigger road that leads to the capital and from there, the stage is identical to last year’s. The riders will travel along the coast all the way to the centre of Muscat where they will continue along flat roads to again reach the hills on the eastern outskirts of the city. At the 86km mark, they will turn right to enter the circuit that will be the scene of the final 65km of exciting racing.

 

The 29.5km circuit is a very straightforward one. The first 3.4km consist of the climb of Bousher Alamrat that 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 where it is only 3.2km long with an average gradient of 6.8%. Having reached the bottom of the descent, there is a small flat stretch before the riders do another U-turn to it all again. There will be KOM points on offer both times up the steep side and the final time up the easier side while the final intermediate sprint is located at the top of the "easy" climb after the first passage.

 

From the top of the final climb, 12.5km 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 Housing. There will be a number of sweeping bends inside the final 5km but the final 3.5km will be mostly straight with only two bends and a roundabout to disrupt proceedings before a very slight left-hand turn leads onto the 300m finishing straight on an 8m wide road.

 

In 2013, the riders approached the climb from the other side and only did one lap on the circuit, meaning that they did the easy side twice and the hard one only 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.

 

Last year 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.

 

 

 

Stage 6:

Like most other national tours, the Tour of Oman has usually ended with a flat stage for the sprinters in the country's capital and the 2014 edition won't change this tradition. The 133km stage starts at the Oman Airport just west of Muscat and brings the riders to a finish on a circuit on the Matrah Corniche in the city centre.

 

After the start, the riders head along flat roads to the sea where they will follow the coast for a few kilometres. In the city of Al Seeb, they will head inlands along flat roads until they hit the Muscat Express Road that they will follow all the way to the capital. This section is completely flat too.

 

Instead of continuing all the way to the city centre, the riders will do a small loop on the hilly eastern outskirts of the capital. First they will go up the Al Hamriyah climb after 89km of racing and then take the long, gradual descent. Having reached Al Jissah at the 102.5km mark, they will contest the first intermediate sprint before turning around to head back towards the city. They will now go up the Al Jissah climb (1.4km, 9%) which also featured in the finale of stage 2 before they descend to the coastal road that they will follow until they hit the Matrah Corniche.

 

With 14km to do, the riders will cross the finish line for the first time and contest the final intermediate sprint. Like last year they will now do two laps of the well-known 7km finishing circuit. It follows the coastal road for most of the time and only makes a small digression when it makes small loop before getting back to the seafront. The circuit is almost completely flat but has a very small climb 3.5km from the finish that may serve as the launch pad for a late attack. The riders hit the coastal road shortly before the 2km to go banner and from there they will follow the flat, slightly winding 8m wide road all the way to the finish, with the line coming into sight when the road makes its final slight bend 400m from the end of the race.

 

The first year the race ended with a time trial but for the past four  years, the race has ended with a big bunch sprint at the Corniche. Mark Cavendish, Marcel Kittel, Nacer Bouhanni and André Greipel are the previous winners and the sprinters will go all out to add their name to the list while the overall leader hopes to stay safe before being crowned as the winner of the 6th Tour of Oman.

 

 

 

The favourites

The Tour of Oman is in fierce competition with the Volta ao Algarve, Vuelta a Andalucia, and the Tour du Haut-Var which both run at the same time as the Middle East race. Compared to 2013 when everybody seemed to be heading to the sultanate for what was an almost all-inclusive rendezvous of grand tour stars, the best riders distributed themselves a bit more evenly last year but again the Omani race was the clear winner. The guarantee for optimal weather conditions and the good organization certainly played a role and even though the time trial specialists will always prefer Algarve over Oman, the climbers cannot find a better place to spend this week in February.

 

Nonetheless, the Omani organizers have lost the battle in 2015. They may be able to present a formidable line-up that includes the reigning Tour de France winner but the three other riders in the group that has been named the “Big Four” – Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana and Alberto Contador – have all preferred the Andalusian race (until Quintana was forced to cancel his participation due to a crash at the Colombian nationals). The likes of Romain Bardet, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Wilco Kelderman and Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Bauke Mollema and Pierre Rolland will also be at the start in Spain but the rest of the main grand tour stars have all headed to Oman except only a very few ones who will be riding in Algarve.

 

This means that the line-up for this race is formidable and in the absence of dominant riders like Froome and Contador who are always riding for the win, the playing field will be a lot more level. As most of the overall contenders are making their season debut, the race is one of the most unpredictable of the entire season and the list of potential winners is very long.

 

While the sprinters look forward to the chance to shine on a few stages, and Peter Sagan is looking to add to his already impressive tally of Oman stage victories on some of the hilly days, the GC will come down to the 4th and 5th stage. Stage 2 may offer a chance to steal a few seconds – and take a few bonus seconds too – but the first big battle will come on stage 4 which will create the biggest time gaps in the race.

 

It is definitely a wise decision for the organizers to have swapped the order of the two key stages. Last year most riders rode conservatively on the Boushar Alamrat climb as they waited for the Green Mountain. This year the big battle comes first and so more riders will have something to gain by going on the attack in stage 5. In 2013, that stage proved to be a very hard affair and we could easily see the GC get shaken up on the penultimate day. With a flat finish, a good climber with a fast sprint may even pick up a few bonus seconds.

 

In any case, this race is going to be won by a climber. They key selection will be made on the ascents but bonus seconds may also come into play and a fast sprint will be no disadvantage. Furthermore, one always has to be attentive in the flat stages as the wind may come into play and a strong team for those conditions could become a factor.

 

One rider that is making his debut in Oman is Alejandro Valverde. Looking over the last few seasons, the versatile Spaniard probably has the best February track record of all the riders. In 2012 he won 2 races, in 2013 he obtained 4 wins and last year he celebrated no less than 5 victories in the second month of the year. Being one of the most talented bike riders in the peloton, Valverde is one of the most consistent performers in the peloton and he is never far away from his best level. That is reflected in his ability to win races all year and in the early part of the season, that kind of consistent form is more important than top level.

 

This year Valverde has again been unstoppable. In Mallorca, he was clearly the strongest in the summit finish on day 2 but he timed his acceleration badly and had to settle for second. In the hardest race, he crushed the opposition in one of the most dominant performances in the recent history of the race series and this proves that he is again in excellent condition. He may have had to settle for second in the short uphill sprint in Dubai but that finale didn’t suit him perfectly.

 

At this time of the year, Valverde has usually been crushing the opposition in the Vuelta a Andalucia but after three consecutive victories he has preferred an Arabic adventure in 2015. However, nothing suggests that he is not at the same level as he was 12 months ago when he won three stages in Andalusia as well as the overall and even though he is up against tougher competition in Oman, he is definitely the man to beat.

 

First of all the race suits him really well. The Green Mountain is pretty short but very steep and that is just the kind of climb that Valverde likes. Furthermore, stages 2 and 5 suit him perfectly and he will have a big opportunity to score bonus seconds in those two stages. This means that he can even allow himself to ride pretty conservatively on the Green Mountain but in any case it will be hard for anyone to drop the in-form Spaniard. The only concern is the fact that he felt ill on the final day of the Tour of Qatar, opting not to take the start, but if he has recovered sufficiently he is the clear favourite to win in Oman.

 

His biggest rival could be Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali. Last year the Italian had a very slow start to the season and he was far from his usual consistent level until he hit his top form just before the Tour de France. This year he has vowed not to make the same kind of mistakes that saw him become a shadow of his usual consistent self and during the month of December, he did more than 1000km more than he did 12 months earlier.

 

Apparently, the effort has paid off as he looked pretty strong in the Dubai Tour. He decided to use that race for training as the course didn’t suit him but the Tour of Oman will be his first big test. He has fond memories of the Arabic race as he won the queen stage in 2012 and finished second overall, just one second behind Peter Velits.

 

Nibali’s main disadvantage is the lack of sprinting skills as he may come up short against the likes of Valverde who can pick up bonus seconds in stage 2 and 5. However, the most decisive stage will definitely be stage 4 and Nibali has often done really well on this kind of very steep climb. On paper, Nibali is the strongest climber in this race and as he seems to be in pretty good condition, he should be among the best.

 

One year ago Tejay van Garderen came out from his winter break with all guns blazing when he finished an impressive second in this race. That performance was the first indication that he had improved his climbing skills massively and he went on to confirm that progress numerous times throughout the season.

 

This year van Garderen will again make his season debut in Oman and this makes his condition a bit uncertain. However, the American has always started his seasons pretty strongly and as he ended his 2014 season pretty early, he is probably again at a pretty advanced level. There is no reason to suggest that he won’t take another step up during the 2015 season and he could be even closer to the best than he was 12 months ago. In the past, he has often struggled a bit on the longer climbs but he has become better at gauging his efforts. The Green Mountain is a pretty short ascent and he should have no worries about his ability to sustain his effort. Of course he would have preferred the inclusion of a time trial but with his improved climbing skills, there is no reason to suggest that he won’t be able to win this kind of mountain race.

 

Thibaut Pinot is one of the select few who come into this race with a few racing days in his legs. The Frenchman showed solid condition in the Etoile de Besseges where he fought hard to make the selection in the crosswinds and finished a fine 10th in the final time trial. He may have been disappointed with the outcome but it was a decent performance in a race that didn’t really suit him.

 

With no time trial and a steep summit finish, the Tour of Oman is tailor-made for Pinot and on paper he is one of the best climbers in this race. It may come a bit too early for him as he has never been among the best in the early part of the year. On the other hand, he is apparently in solid form and he has stepped up his climbing massively. This should make him one of the top contenders even if he is not yet at 100%.

 

One rider that is always very strong at this time of the year is former world champion Rui Costa. This year he has opted not to ride in his home race in Algarve and he will be making his season debut in Oman. Costa is one of those riders who are never very far from his best level, and he has always been among the best in Algarve. Even though he is no pure climber, this kind of shorter climbs suits him pretty well. Furthermore, he is pretty fast and may use his versatile skills to pick up bonus seconds in stages 2 and 5. As he is likely to be one of the in-form riders, he is obviously one of the favouries.

 

One of the big question marks is Joaquim Rodriguez. The Spaniard always starts his seasons pretty slowly and this year he has even postponed his season debut to the Dubai Tour as he targets the Tour de France and so aims to be in peak condition later than usual. It was hard to gauge his condition in Dubai as that race didn’t really suit him. Traditionally he has been far from his best level in Oman but still managed to win the queen stage two years ago when he exploited the tactical battle between the riders that were still in GC contention. We don’t expect Rodriguez to be strong enough to fight for the victory yet but as he is one of the best climbers in the peloton, he is still an outsider if his form turns out to be better than it usually is at this time of the year.

 

Leopold König is one of the select few who have already showed great condition in 2015. The Czech finished third in the hardest one-day race in Mallorca and this proves that he has trained well for his debut year with Sky. His big goal is the Giro d’Italia where he will be one of two leaders at the Sky team and this race offers another rare opportunity for him to lead the British team. The versatile Czech would have preferred the inclusion of a time trial but the Green Mountain should suit him well too. He is likely to have improved his level and as his form is already good, he is an obvious contender.

 

Last year Julian Arredondo came out with all guns blazing as he won two stages in his very first race as a professional rider, the Tour de San Luis. This year the Colombian will make his debut in Oman and no one really knows how he is going. However, he has been training in his native Colombia and this gives him a clear advantage compared to his European rivals. Furthermore, he could have designed a better course as there is no time trial and the Green Mountain is the kind of short, explosive ascent that suits him down to the ground. At the end of 2014, he showed signs of improvement after a difficult time and this could be a good omen for his 2015 season.

 

Wout Poels has been signed by Sky as a luxury domestique for Chris Froome and he won’t get many chances to ride for himself. However, this race presents a rare opportunity for the Dutchman who will be making his season debut in Oman. Last year the Dutchman proved that he has taken a massive step up when he turned out to be one of the best climbers in the Giro and won the queen stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. In general, he excels on the steepest climbs and this should make the Green Mountain tailor-made for him. He has been training in South Africa with Froome and this should see him come into this race in solid condition.

 

Daniel Moreno has rarely been very strong at this time of the year but this year things seem to be different. He made his usual debut in the Tour de San Luis and for the first time, he was able to mix it up with the best on the climbs. This suddenly makes him a contender for the race in Oman and he could take over the leadership role for Rodriguez. The short, steep Green Mountain suits him really well and if his good start indicates that he can rediscover the legs he had in the 2013 Vuelta, he should be a contender.

 

Rafal Majka is another rider making his season debut in Oman but the Pole is rarely too strong at this time of the year. This year he is aiming at the Tour de France and this could both see him have an earlier peak that usual or have an even slower start. We would expect him to need a bit more racing before he gets to his top level but his climbing skills make him a dark horse.

 

Another excellent climber who is usually a slow starter, is Warren Barguil. The Frenchman is aiming at his Tour de France debut but he also plans to be strong for the Ardennes classics. The Tour of Oman is his first big test and on paper the course suits him really well. However, it would be a surprise if he bucks the trend and comes out with all guns blazing.

 

Arnold Jeannesson has had a few low-key seasons but last year he proved his true potential when he delivered an excellent domestique performance at the Tour de France. He has done really well in this race in the past and with no time trial, it clearly suits him really well. After a bad start, he found his legs at the Tour Down Under where he finished in the top 10 in the queen stage and this race is much better for him. Going into the race, he will be a domestique for Pinot but on the Green Mountain, it will all come down to the legs.

 

Another rider who goes into the race in a support role, is Damiano Caruso who is making his BMC debut in Oman. After a difficult time, the Italian suddenly returned to his best level at the Vuelta where he finished in the top 10 overall. No one knows how he is going at the moment but his performances in the final part of 2014 should have provided him with lots of motivation for the winter training. He will be keen to prove his worth for the BMC management and this should make him a contender.

 

***** Alejandro Valverde

**** Vincenzo Nibali, Tejay van Garderen

*** Thibaut Pinot, Rui Costa, Joaquim Rodriguez, Leopold König, Julian Arredondo, Wout Poels

** Daniel Moreno, Rafal Majka, Warren Barguil, Arnold Jeannesson, Damiano Caruso, Roman Kreuziger

* Jakob Fuglsang, Cameron Meyer, Michael Rogers, Pieter Weening, Mathias Frank, Philip Deignan, Carter Jones, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, Rafael Valls, Dominik Nerz, Francesco Manuel Bongiorno, Edoardo Zardini, Dylan Teuns