Tour of Oman - Muscat Classic 2025 , February 7-12

[Berniece]

So, if he wins 97 races, it's okay because of the early Giro drop out 🤔

Nope, was just saying that his only 8 wins also had to do with not being able to have a perfectly healthy season

 

[Samamba]

True. I had only Pologne and Benelux in mind.

He will definitely be at the start of some Belgian .1 and .Pro races in September/October too. There's nothing else for sprinters after Benelux.

 

[Netserk]

He will definitely be at the start of some Belgian .1 and .Pro races in September/October too. There's nothing else for sprinters after Benelux.

Races, yes. Stage races too?

 

[Sciatic]

A lot of races in February allows you to rack up 3-5 wins before even Paris-Nice. Then he only needs 6 other wins to go to 10.
Kooij is 23 and needs to average 10 wins for the next 6 years. Not an easy task but certainly very reachable. I didn't check stats but at his age Kristoff and Demare probably didn't have as many wins combined.

It may just be random statistically, but but the crops of new top-tier sprinters who’ve come up the pro ranks during the past decade don’t appear to staying at the very top for very many years.

 

[tobydawq]

Now that Rob hasn't performed his usual duty, I will do it:

Tomorrow's stage is scheduled to finish much earlier than the rest, around 10:30 am CET.

 

[Lequack]

Final stage:
07:15 - 10:40 CEST

 

[Lequack]

Can anyone beat Adam Yates record from last year?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1889396038613737888

View: https://x.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1889396038613737888

 

[tobydawq]

I always stare incredulously at my screen when I see the results from 2013. Froome, Contador, Purito, Evans AND Nibali??? And Sagan was also winning stages that year.

Not even the Tour can attract so many stars these days (okay, maybe the Tour can, but certainly not many other races).

 

[Berniece]

I always stare incredulously at my screen when I see the results from 2013. Froome, Contador, Purito, Evans AND Nibali??? And Sagan was also winning stages that year.

Not even the Tour can attract so many stars these days (okay, maybe the Tour can, but certainly not many other races).

I always look at it and think, how the hell are they going 10% faster now

 

[tobydawq]

I always look at it and think, how the hell are they going 10% faster now

Okay.

 

[YavorD]

I always stare incredulously at my screen when I see the results from 2013. Froome, Contador, Purito, Evans AND Nibali??? And Sagan was also winning stages that year.

Not even the Tour can attract so many stars these days (okay, maybe the Tour can, but certainly not many other races).

I looked at the start list now and there is Cancellara, Boonen, Gilbert, Kittel, Goss (he was still a good name at the time)...as well. How on earth?

That should be one of the best start lists for a non-WT race ever.

 

[tobydawq]

I looked at the start list now and there is Cancellara, Boonen, Gilbert, Kittel, Goss (he was still a good name at the time)...as well. How on earth?

That should be one of the best start lists for a non-WT race ever.

Indeed. They must have had endless funds back then.

And just two years later, Rafael Valls won.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Tomorrow's stage should be very interesting

 

[Tim Cahill]

Remember the 2013 edition too as the last time Froome and Wiggo raced together for Sky. A battling 74th for Bradley.

 

[Berniece]

Okay.

Not insinuating anything. It just shows how many gains were to be made and how much more cycling could be professionalised

 

[YavorD]

Indeed. They must have had endless funds back then.

And just two years later, Rafael Valls won.

It was still an impressive start list though.
Nibali, Valverde, Purito (although admittedly past his prime), Pinot, TJVG, Sagan, Cancellara, Howson (wtf feels strange he was in the mix yesterday)....

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I always stare incredulously at my screen when I see the results from 2013. Froome, Contador, Purito, Evans AND Nibali??? And Sagan was also winning stages that year.

Not even the Tour can attract so many stars these days (okay, maybe the Tour can, but certainly not many other races).

And there was never actually a Tour that had all of those six riders on the start list, because Purito, Nibali and Evans all rode Giro-Vuelta once each from 2012 to 2014.

 

[tobydawq]

And there was never actually a Tour that had all of those six riders on the start list, because Purito, Nibali and Evans all rode Giro-Vuelta once each from 2012 to 2014.

Yes but then the Tour had Valverde who was at least one star who didn't do Oman.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Okay.

Lol.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Top 6 on green mountain that year was Purito, Froom, Evens, Contador, Nibali, and then a 21 years old Kenny elissonde. Sometimes it's a shame how xarreers go.

Anyway I think part of it was just that they did more racing 10-15 years ago, so they would clash more. Nowadays Froom, nibali, Contador and purito would all be at teide or sierra Nevada for 4 weeks just to prepare Tirreno

 

[Sciatic]

Top 6 on green mountain that year was Purito, Froom, Evens, Contador, Nibali, and then a 21 years old Kenny elissonde. Sometimes it's a shame how xarreers go.

Anyway I think part of it was just that they did more racing 10-15 years ago, so they would clash more. Nowadays Froom, nibali, Contador and purito would all be at teide or sierra Nevada for 4 weeks just to prepare Tirreno

Good point.

 

[YavorD]

Top 6 on green mountain that year was Purito, Froom, Evens, Contador, Nibali, and then a 21 years old Kenny elissonde. Sometimes it's a shame how xarreers go.

Anyway I think part of it was just that they did more racing 10-15 years ago, so they would clash more. Nowadays Froom, nibali, Contador and purito would all be at teide or sierra Nevada for 4 weeks just to prepare Tirreno

Nah, Vingegaard starts his season in February all the time. So does Pogacar, so does Evenepoel. It's because they're avoiding each other one reason or another. Not because they're training before TA/PN

 

[Lequack]

English highlights for stage 3 and 4 so far (starring Carlton Kirby)
PS: You have to click on the video to watch on Youtube.

Stage 3

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNMJOm4JfBA


Stage 4

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm_Dr87cn-A

 

[tobydawq]

Lol.

What?

 

[tobydawq]

Top 6 on green mountain that year was Purito, Froom, Evens, Contador, Nibali, and then a 21 years old Kenny elissonde. Sometimes it's a shame how xarreers go.

Anyway I think part of it was just that they did more racing 10-15 years ago, so they would clash more. Nowadays Froom, nibali, Contador and purito would all be at teide or sierra Nevada for 4 weeks just to prepare Tirreno

No, that's definitely not the reason.