Preview Tour of Oman 2024 | Soudal Quick-Step is bringing solid credentials, but UAE has Yates!

After the AlUla Tour, the ASO circus moves on to Oman, where the Tour of Oman will start on Saturday. No endless desert stages here, but plenty of climbing! IDLProCycling.com brings you up to speed on everything you need to know.

The Tour of Oman actually has a fairly long history in cycling. The first winner (2010) is none other than Fabian Cancellara, followed by Robert Gesink winning the race in 2011. We also spot names of Tour de France winners such as Chris Froome and Vincenzo Nibali on the roll of honor, which certainly indicates the status the race has built up over the course of nearly fifteen years.

Last season, Matteo Jorgenson (then with Movistar, now with Visma | Lease a Bike) claimed victory by a margin of one second over Mauri Vansevenant. The Belgian is participating again this year, but the American with his Dutch team is not.

Most recent winners Tour of Oman

2023 Matteo Jorgenson
2022 Jan Hirt
2021 Not ridden
2020 Not ridden
2019 Alexey Lutsenko
2018 Alexey Lutsenko
2017 Ben Hermans
2016 Vincenzo Nibali
2015 Rafael Valls
2014 Chris Froome

Tour of Oman 2024: Course, stage win favorites and times

Stage 1, Saturday, February 10: Oman Across Ages Museum - Oman Convention And Exhibition Center (181.5 km)

The Tour of Oman kicks off with a stage for the sprinters. Considering that this is a stage race in the Middle East, it is surprising that there aren't too many stages suited to sprinters in this five-day event. It is possible that echelons could still provide some spectacle, but a sprint stage as a warm-up is not a bad thing either.

Climbs
None.

Favorites
Fabio Jakobsen (dsm-firmenich PostNL)
Caleb Ewan (Jayco AlUla)
Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quick-Step)

Times
Start: 11:20 AM (08:20 AM Dutch time)
Finish: 3:39 PM (12:39 PM Dutch time)

Stage 2, Sunday, February 11: As Sifah - Qurayyat  (170.4 km)

In stage two, the peloton moves from As Sifah to Qurrayyat, where we have finished several times already in previous editions of the Tour of Oman. A hilltop finish that is perfect for the better punchers, with its 2.6 kilometers at an average of seven percent.

Climbs
32.2 km: Al Jissah (1.3 km at 9%)
38.8 km: Al Wadi el Kabir (2 km at 6.3%)
170.4 km: Qurayyat (2.6 km at 7%)

Favorites
Isaac del Toro (UAE-Team Emirates)
Adam Yates (UAE-Team Emirates)
Warren Barguil (dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Times
Start: 12:03 AM (9:03 AM Dutch time)
Finish: 3:30 PM (12:30 PM Dutch time)

Stage 3, Monday, February 12: Bidbid - Eaestern Mountain (169.3 km)

Monday's race is split in half with a new hilltop finish, even tougher than the one on Sunday. Eastern Mountain is 4.6 kilometers long at an 8.5 percent gradient, so we are primarily looking at the best climbers for this stage victory.

Climbs
169.3 km: Eastern Mountain (4.6 km at 8.5%)

Favorites
Adam Yates (UAE-Team Emirates)
Fausto Masnada (Soudal Quick-Step)
Anthon Charmig (Astana Qazaqstan Team)

Times
Start: 10:40 AM (7:40 AM Dutch time)
Finish: 2:42 PM (11:42 AM Dutch time)

Stage 4, Tuesday, February 13: Al Rustaq Fort - Yitti Hills (207.5 km)

New day, new hilltop finish. From Al Rustaq Fort to the Yitti Hills, that is what is on the menu for Tuesday's stage. The last fifty kilometers are somewhat reminiscent of an Ardennes classic, where the punchy types will likely once again prevail after more than two hundred kilometers of racing.

Climbs
90.8 km: Fanja (1.1 km at 9.1%)
155.2 km: Al Jabal Road (3.3 km at 9.8%)
196.7 km: Al Jissah (2.5 km at 6.9%)
206.6 km: Yitti Hills (1.6 km at 6.8%)

Favorites
Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Isaac del Toro (UAE-Team Emirates)
Jésus Herrada (Cofidis)

Times
Start: 10:15 AM (07:15 AM Dutch time)
Finish: 3:26 PM (12:26 PM Dutch time)

Stage 5, Wednesday, February 14: Imty - Green Mountain (138.7 km)

Tadaa! We have already completed four tough days, but today, the riders must still face the infamous Green Mountain. Climbing 5.7 kilometers at an average of 10.5 percent, that is quite the cherry on top for this Tour of Oman. Poor Fabio Jakobsen, Caleb Ewan and co.

Climbs
138.7 km: Green Mountain (5.7 km at 10.5%)

Favorites
Adam Yates (UAE-Team Emirates)
Jan Hirt (Soudal Quick-Step)
Emanuel Buchmann (BORA-hansgrohe)

Times
Start: 10:15 AM (07:15 AM Dutch time)
Finish: 1:45 PM (10:45 AM Dutch time)

Favorites general classification Tour of Oman 2024

Note: the participant list has not yet been officially confirmed, so changes are still possible!

UAE-Team Emirates is once again bringing several top riders to Oman, with Adam Yates definitely considered the top favorite for this stage race. Brother Simon won the AlUla Tour last week, but Adam, as a Tour de France podium finisher, is now the man to beat in the Oman stage race. Teammates Isaac del Toro, Diego Ulissi and Finn Fisher-Black will provide the necessary horsepower and can also compete for the general classification.

Moving on to Soudal Quick-Step, which, despite the absence of Remco Evenepoel, also has several riders capable of going far in this race. In addition to young heroes Paul Magnier and Luke Lamperti, the team also brings climbers Jan Hirt (former winner), Mauri Vansevenant (second last year) and Fausto Masnada (2nd in 2022, behind Hirt) to the fore.

Given the nature of this course, it makes sense that the participating teams are bringing several climbers. For example, DSM-Firmenich PostNL is counting on classification riders Warren Barguil and Frank van den Broek, in addition to sprinter Fabio Jakobsen - who hopes to make something happen on day one. BORA-hansgrohe fields Emanuel Buchmann, Ben Zwiehoff and the talented Emil Herzog.

Then we have Intermarché-Wanty, which is bringing pure climbers such as Louis Meintjes and super talent Alexy Faure Prost, alongside puncher Lorenzo Rota. Cofidis is fielding Jésus Herrada and Kenny Elissonde, while Arkéa - B&B Hotels is going with Elie Gesbert and Cristian Rodríguez. Other men who could compete for the general classification include Anthon Charmig (Astana Qazaqstan Team) and Harm Vanhoucke (Lotto-Dstny); both solid climbers.

Who are the favorites for the general classification of the Tour of Oman 2024, according to IDLProCycling.com?

Top favorites: Adam Yates (UAE-Team Emirates) and Jan Hirt (Soudal Quick-Step)
Outsiders:  Warren Barguil (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Emanuel Buchmann (BORA-hansgrohe), Isaac del Toro (UAE-Team Emirates) and Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal Quick-Step)
Long shots: Lorenzo Rota, Louis Meintjes, Alexy Faure Prost (Intermarché-Wanty), Jésus Herrada (Cofidis), Elie Gesbert (Arkea - B&B Hotels), Fausto Masnada (Soudal Quick-Step), Finn Fisher-Black, Diego Ulissi (UAE-Team Emirates) and Anthon Charmig (Astana Qazaqstan Team) 

TV Tour of Oman 2024

Where do we usually watch cycling? That is right, on Eurosport... But unfortunately, the Tour of Oman is not being broadcast there this week. Perhaps a stream will surface somewhere, but for now, it seems we will have to do without live images from Oman.