Dan Martin is very nicely poised in the Tour of Oman after the opening climbs of what will likely prove a testing week.
Dan Martin may not have doubled his tally of wins this season with a victory on the opening stage of the Tour of Oman, but his team mate won the stage and the Irishman wasn’t too far away.
Sam Bennett also put in a very decent performance on terrain that was never going to suit a sprinter; losing just under three minutes and coming home 76th of the 141 finishers.
Bob Jungels, a team mate of Martin’s at Etixx-QuickStep won the day after a fantastic lone attack around 2km from the finish.
He made his move on the second of two late climbs that saw an 18-man select group pull clear.
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Richie Porte (BMC) was not present in that lead group after unexpectedly being drooped on the second of the two climbs that split the field to shreds in the final.
The first of those two ascents came with some 20km remaining to the finish and while there was a regrouping after it, the second of the climbs came with just 5km remaining and had a fast descent after it into the finish.
Bob Jungels took a leaf out of the Dan Martin playbook; combining climbing prowess with all-out attacking riding to win big.
While Porte was missing from the 18-man group that would form for the fast sweep into the finish, a number of other big names were there with Jungels and Martin.
They included Vincenzo Nibali and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin).
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Jungels took a leaf out of the Dan Martin playbook with an attack as strong as it was courageous with just over 2km remaining.
And once he got clear he put his head down, aided by a 55-tooth chainring fitted especially for the descent into the finish.
He held on by six seconds from Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), with French climber Romain Bardet in 3rd two seconds further back.
The rest of the select group was on his wheel, with Martin finishing 11th.
While Jungel’s proved very strong and also has the race lead, it does not necessarily mean he will remain team leader for the rest of the race.
Indeed, he suggested after the finish that Martin, who took a stage at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana last week, may be better placed to put in a top ride on the very testing Green Mountain.
That ascent, to be tackled on Friday’s stage 4 of six, usually decides the general classification in Oman.
Stage 1: Oman Ex Center - Al Bustan (145km)
1 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx-QuickStep 3:37:33
2 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data 0:00:06
3 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R-La Mondiale 0:00:08
4 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data
5 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
6 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
7 Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida
8 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
9 Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
11 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx-QuickStep same time
76 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 0:02:53
General Classification
1 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx-QuickStep 3:37:23
2 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data 0:00:10
3 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R-La Mondiale 0:00:14
4 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension Data 0:00:18
5 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
6 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
7 Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida
8 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
9 Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
11 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx-QuickStep same time
76 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 0:03:03
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