Team Visma | Lease a Bike started the one-day race in the capital of Oman without Jørgen Nordhagen. The Norwegian struggled with symptoms of illness on Friday morning. After a quiet start, the race ignited on the first passages of Al Jabal and Hamriya. Olav Kooij and Daniel McLay, who hope to show their sprint train for the first time in Oman, had to let the peloton go in the final phase of the race.

Niklas Behrens, a debutant in the Dutch cycling formation, and Uijtdebroeks showed themselves at the head of the race in the closing stages of the classic. The duo saw four riders leave about twenty kilometers before the finish. Uijtdebroeks made a firm attempt to catch the escapees. He succeeded, but in the sprint the Belgian was then unable to compete for the victory and finished 22nd behind winner Rick Pluimers.

“I knew I had to keep following to not lose the connection with the best riders. I felt strong on the climbs today. I finished in the front group and that makes me satisfied. Unfortunately I didn't manage to sprint for the win here in Muscat”, Uijtdebroeks said afterwards.

Sports director Maarten Wynants looks back on the classic in Oman with satisfaction. “We knew it would be a very tough race with so many climbs. The heat here in the Middle East is an added factor. Cian achieved a good level today. Niklas also felt good, but lost the connection with the first group just below the top.”

Tomorrow, the five-day Tour of Oman kicks off with a relatively flat stage. Wynants was clear earlier about the goals and expresses his expectations for tomorrow. “For Olav and Dan, the course was just a bit too hard today, but we will see them the coming week. Perhaps as early as tomorrow. We also missed Jørgen today. Hopefully tomorrow he will feel better and be able to start. We'll have to wait and see.”