A thoroughly enjoyable week of racing wrapped up in one post! Let us waste no time and get right down to it.
Tour of Oman Stage 6: The Wave to Muttrah Corniche, 130.5km
Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) finished the Tour of Oman as he started it – with a win. The Norwegian out-sprinted Eduard Grosu (Nippo-Vini Fantini) and Sacha Modolo (UAE Abu Dhabi) to take his third victory of the race. Ben Hermans (BMC) can return home satisfied with two stage wins and his first ever GC win. Rui Costa (UAE Abu Dhabi) was second with Astana’s Fabio Aru rounding out the podium. Dimension Data were best team with three riders in the top 10 overall: Nathan Haas, Lachlan Morten and of course Merhawi Kudus, who also returns home with the best young rider’s jersey.
Highlights…
A well deserved rest with some young fans…
Team Dimension Data…
The countdown has started #OhTom…
Full report at Cycling News
Race Website Race Twitter #TOO2017
Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol Stage 5: Setenil de las Bodegas to Coín, 151.5km
Wet and windy weather saw the 6 man break-of-the-day finally dispute the finish, and there is no one better on such days than Lotto-Soudal’s Tim Wellens. In a tactical throw down on the run to the line, the Belgian hardman took the sprint from Simon Clarke (Cannondale) with fellow countryman Victor Campenaerts (LottoN-Jumbo) in third.
Alejandro Valverde and his Movistar team were alert to the possibility of ambush right to the finish, but he survived with his 1sec lead intact to take his 100th win of his career – it won’t be his last! Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) and Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) will be satisfied with their second and third places this early in their campaigns. Georg Preidler (Sunweb) goes home with the King of the Mountains jersey. With Wout Poels, Diego Rosa and Mikel Landa all in the top ten on GC, the Team Sky train looks well drilled and they were the best team.
Highlights …
Winners…
Embed from Getty Images#Bala100
“The years pass, the class not”…
Full report at Cycling News.
Race Website Race Twitter #63RdS
Volta ao Algarve Stage 5: Loulé to Malhão, 179.2km
Amaro Antunes (W52/FC Porto) gave the Portuguese fans a home win on the final stage. The continental team rider has been in sparkling form all week and his dancing attack at the flamme rouge saw him win solo atop Alto do Malhão. Vicente Garcia (Louletano) and best young rider Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) rounded out the podium in second and third respectively. Team Sky drove an infernal pace on the final climb in support of second place Michal Kwiatkowski, but they could not shake LottoNL-Jumbo’s Primoz Roglic. He wins the overall by 22secs from #Kwiatcrush with Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal) claiming third step of the podium on the final day. Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) goes home with the points jersey, Juan Felipe Osorio (Manzano Postabon)was King of the Mountains, and Astana were the best team.
Highlights (we pick it up with 4km to go)…
World Class Antunes #capsnothats
Embed from Getty ImagesIt’s not just FDJ with the winner gifs…
Full report at Cycling News.
Race Website Race Twitter #Valgarve2017
Header image: Andre Greipel, Primoz Roglic, Juan Felipe Osorio, Tiesj Benoot, Amaro Antunes – © Filipe Amorim/NurPhoto via Getty Images