2018 Tour of Oman route revealed

January 25 ^th 2018 - 11:23

The peloton will tackle six stages totalling 914.5 kilometres through the heart of the landscapes of the Sultanate of Oman.

The ninth Tour of Oman will be the eighth consecutive edition of the race to feature a summit finish on Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain), a 5.7 km climb with an average gradient of 10.5%.

Nine of the eighteen seven-man teams in this year's Tour of Oman are WorldTour outfits.

The peloton will hit the roads of the Sultanate of Oman from 13 to 18 February. High-speed finishes for sprinters, hilly stages for punchers and Green Mountain for climbers —the Tour of Oman has something for everyone. Oman will again reveal who is on the right track and who has still got plenty of work to do.

Oman has managed to captivate and surprise the international peloton year after year. The Tour of Oman, held in February, has something for every rider. It has earned a special place on the pro calendar thanks to the sneak peeks it offers of a season packed with promise and uncertainty.

This year's route will favour the brave —sprinters, punchers and climbers alike. The fast men will fight for the leader's jersey in the opening stage from Nizwa to Sultan Qaboos University, but a look at the following two stages suggests their joy will be short-lived. Sultan Qaboos University will again host the peloton for the start of the second stage, a 167.5 km trek to Al-Bustan —familiar terrain for aggressive punchers. Those who come up short in Al-Bustan will have a chance to make amends the next day, with a stage starting from the German University of Technology. 179.5 km later, an 800 m climb with a gradient close to 10% will separate the wheat from the chaff on Wadi Dayqah Dam. A great chance for revenge after the previous stage. At 117 km, the fourth stage will be short but far from easy. The course between Yiti and the Ministry of Tourism will test the riders' speed and stamina on the triple climb up Al-Jabal Street (3.4 km at 8.8%) before the finish.

Saturday 17 February will feature the queen stage of the Tour of Oman for the eighth year running. The peloton will roll out of Sama'il with the fearsome Green Mountain looming on the horizon. The suffering will only end after a 5.7 km climb at a gradient of 10.5%. Finally, the riders will leave Al-Mouj Muscat for Matrah Corniche for a high-speed finale.

2018 Tour of Oman route :

• Tuesday, February 13th, 1st stage : Nizwa > Sultan Qaboos University, 162,5km
• Wednesday, February 14th, 2nd stage : Sultan Qaboos University > Al Bustan, 167,5km
• Thursday, February 15th, 3rd stage : German University of Technology > Wadi Dayqah Dam, 179,5km
• Friday, February 16th, 4th stage : Yiti (Al Sifah) > Ministry of Tourism, 117,5km
• Saturday, February 17th, 5th stage : Sama'il > Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain), 152km
• Sunday, February 18th, 6th stage : Al Mouj Muscat > Matrah Corniche, 135,5km