| UCI Asia Tour | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dates | 14–19 February 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 878 km (545.6 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 20h 56' 20" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2017 Tour of Oman was a road cycling stage race that took place between 14 and 19 February 2017 in Oman. It was the eighth edition of the Tour of Oman and was rated as a 2.HC race as part of the 2017 UCI Asia Tour.[1] The previous year's winner, Vincenzo Nibali, did not defend his title.[2]
The race was won by Belgium's Ben Hermans,[3] as part of the BMC Racing Team; Hermans took the race lead after winning the second stage of the race, and further extended his lead with a victory in the queen stage of the race, finishing at Jabal Al Akhdhar. Hermans won the race by 22 seconds ahead of Portuguese rider Rui Costa (UAE Abu Dhabi), who finished second on two stages during the race. The podium was completed by Astana's Fabio Aru from Italy, who was a further 13 seconds in arrears of Costa.[4]
Hermans duked it out for the points classification victory with Norwegian sprinter Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha–Alpecin), with the honours ultimately going to Kristoff,[4] who won three of the remaining four stages of the race. The young rider classification was won by Eritrea's Merhawi Kudus, who finished in fourth place overall for Team Dimension Data, while Belgian Aimé De Gendt (Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise) won the combativity classification for points won at intermediate sprints and noted climbs.[4] With Kudus, Lachlan Morton and Nathan Haas all finishing within the top ten overall, Team Dimension Data won the teams classification.[4]
- ^ "Tour of Oman 2017". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
- ^ "Tour of Oman 2017 start list". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
- ^ "Hermans seals Tour of Oman as Kristoff wins final day sprint". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Hermans and Kristoff, heroes of Oman". Tour of Oman. Amaury Sport Organisation. 19 February 2017. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
Well protected by his BMC team mates, Ben Hermans made it to the finish among the peloton, winning the general classification of this 8th Tour of Oman. In the final standings, the Belgian wins the race with a 22" lead over Rui Costa and 35" over Fabio Aru. Second of the Vuelta a la Comunitat Valenciana behind Nairo Quintana at the beginning of the month, he confirms his fine start to the 2017 season. Thanks to his day's success, Alexander Kristoff wins the green jersey (points classification) and Merhawi Kudus (DDD) finishes best young rider while his Dimension Data squad is the best team of this Tour of Oman. Present at the front, on day 1 and again for over 120kms [sic] of the final stage, Aimé De Gendt claims the most aggressive rider's jersey.