Tour of Oman

durhamwasp

Pretty decent looking parcours especially compared to Tour of Qatar and some big name riders such as Cav, Greipel, Rodriguez, Nibali, Schleck, Boonen, Bak, Sagan, Cancellara & Chavanel....

First 3 days look like sprinters finishes, and then 4 and 5 will see the climbers going at it before a sprint on the final stage.

Who's your predictions?!

inkyfingers

durhamwasp wrote:

Pretty decent looking parcours especially compared to Tour of Qatar

You're really selling it there...

At this time of the year you never know who has any legs. Last year Gesink won the mountain stage, which is not a surprise, what's odd is EBH was second, so who knows. Looks like no TT this year so my guess would be JRod as he's usaually pretty good all year.

danlikesbikes

Boonen was looking pretty strong, though so was Cav till he hit the ground the other day.

TMR

As far as the TdF jersey contenders are concerned, will this just be viewed as another training race?

I'm sure Cav will grab a stage or two, and I can't wait to see him go head to head with Andre again. I'm also really pleased for Tom Boonen - what a start to the Season he's having!

ilm_zero7

if it is the same as last year these are seriously hilly stages mid-way

sherer

The Mad Rapper wrote:

As far as the TdF jersey contenders are concerned, will this just be viewed as another training race?

I'm sure Cav will grab a stage or two, and I can't wait to see him go head to head with Andre again. I'm also really pleased for Tom Boonen - what a start to the Season he's having!

Like most races for the your contendors in the mordern era it's really just a bit of training. I'm still going to watch it as its more exciting than all these CAS rulings

Ron Stuart

It can only be better surely. :shock:

RichN95.

ILM Zero7 wrote:

if it is the same as last year these are seriously hilly stages mid-way

Stage 5 is a proper MTF.

durhamwasp

thats like 120km up hill

ilm_zero7

I have cycled much of this Stage 4 route - its was a killer, but brilliant too
http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TOO/2012/400/PROFIL.gif

frenchfighter

Shame there is no TT. Really enjoyed that last year. Gesink won showing its difficulty.

Gesink won the same MTF last year, the results being:
Stage 4 results
1 Robert Gesink (Rabobank) 4:03:58
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) + 0:47
3 Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) + 0:51
4 Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini) + 0:53
5 Christian Vandevelde (Garmin-Cervélo)
6 Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) + 1:02
7 Maxime Monfort (Leopard-Trek)
8 Michael Albasini (HTC-Highroad)
9 Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) + 1:12
10 Patrik Sinkewitz (Farnese Vini) + 1:29

Liquigas looking strong for this with Nibs, Sagan and Oss.

Not too many climbers in the field but enough for a show. Andy Schleck is riding with Fabu and Fugslang although not expecting much from him. Rodriguez is riding. Gesink isnt.

Kittel is riding - first Kittel Cav Clash : )

frenchfighter

Gesink rode and won in memory of his father dying the year earlier in October.



"I did it for my dad," he said.

"He had a bike accident the day after last year's Giro dell'Emilia and then two weeks after he died. I had a difficult winter with my family and it was difficult to pick up cycling again but I did.

"Last month I did everything on my training schedule and a little extra because I wanted to show the world, my family and my dad first of all, that I wanted to continue racing for him. It's nice to do it when you're out here. It's really difficult but it's a really good feeling when it works out."

Gesink covered the final steep section of the climb alone, with thoughts about his father coming into his mind.

"I was afraid to think about him too much because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to continue and finish the way I did. After the finish I remembered him," he said proudly.

http://nos.nl/video/220000-gesink-slaat ... -oman.html

sherer

is this on Eurosport like it was last year ?

frenchfighter

http://campl.us/hNqT

cal_stewart

driven up the jabal. If its the same road it is steep, very steep and it may be very green at the top

Turnbull2000

What sort of UK TV coverage can we expect for this?

LeicesterLad

Its on Eurosport, as is the Tour of the Algarve, as is the track cycling world cup...good week of telly then!

Tusher

Suspect Cav will win a stage, but it would be nice if Renshaw could as well.

napoleond

I remember Matt Rendell commentating on the tour of Oman a couple of years ago and the poor bloke had to talk for 30 minutes over what was effectively a tourism advert just showing the very start and finish.

Tom Dean

Tusher wrote:

Suspect Cav will win a stage, but it would be nice if Renshaw could as well.

Renshaw's not riding

cajun_cyclist

Joacquim Rodriguez, EL PURITO! With a name like that!

Tusher

Tom Dean wrote:

Tusher wrote:

Suspect Cav will win a stage, but it would be nice if Renshaw could as well.

Renshaw's not riding

doh!

islwyn

So Stage One is underway, estimated finish time is 11:59 GMT today.

As you're all aware, first stage is shown on Eurosports 2 tomorrow, or you can follow live updates on the TOOman twitter here https://twitter.com/#!/TourOfOman3

TMR

Islwyn wrote:

So Stage One is underway, estimated finish time is 11:59 GMT today.

As you're all aware, first stage is shown on Eurosports 2 tomorrow, or you can follow live updates on the TOOman twitter here https://twitter.com/#!/TourOfOman3

Or you can watch a number of other sources here: http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/1601

No_Ta_Doctor

The Mad Rapper wrote:

Islwyn wrote:

So Stage One is underway, estimated finish time is 11:59 GMT today.

As you're all aware, first stage is shown on Eurosports 2 tomorrow, or you can follow live updates on the TOOman twitter here https://twitter.com/#!/TourOfOman3

Or you can watch a number of other sources here: http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/1601

errr... That seems to be for 2011
Their 2012 page says

The 2012 Tour of Oman runs from February 14-19. I do not expect live video feeds for this race but we'll list videos after each stage.

http://www.cyclingfans.com/tour-of-oman

TMR

No tA Doctor wrote:

errr... That seems to be for 2011
Their 2012 page says

The 2012 Tour of Oman runs from February 14-19. I do not expect live video feeds for this race but we'll list videos after each stage.

http://www.cyclingfans.com/tour-of-oman

My bad - sorry.

Hopefully they'll link to videos in the same format as last year then.

No_Ta_Doctor

The Mad Rapper wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

errr... That seems to be for 2011
Their 2012 page says

The 2012 Tour of Oman runs from February 14-19. I do not expect live video feeds for this race but we'll list videos after each stage.

http://www.cyclingfans.com/tour-of-oman

My bad - sorry.

Hopefully they'll link to videos in the same format as last year then.

No probs, but I'm working from home today so thought I might waste a couple of hours looking at dessert shrubs

ilm_zero7

Stage 1
1 Andre Greipel
2 Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha)
3 Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda)

frenchfighter

http://blogs.bettor.com/Philippe-Gilber ... an-a128927

MrTapir

frenchfighter wrote:

http://blogs.bettor.com/Philippe-Gilbert-walks-off-from-the-Tour-of-Oman-a128927

It seems to say that Gilbert is now a "team Sky cyclist". Hmm.

LeicesterLad

MrTapir wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

http://blogs.bettor.com/Philippe-Gilbert-walks-off-from-the-Tour-of-Oman-a128927

It seems to say that Gilbert is now a "team Sky cyclist". Hmm.

Its true, you must have missed that thread...