Prost trades pedal strokes with Merckx in Oman

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While many of the biggest names of the contemporary peloton have been on show at the Tour of Oman this week, some greats of yesteryear have been following the race.

Eddy Merckx is on hand in his role as race director, while Bernard Hinault has also arrived in the Gulf State to keep a close eye on proceedings. With ten Tours de France, eight Giri d’Italia and four rainbow jerseys between them, Formula One legend Alain Prost could hardly have asked for two better guides than Merckx and Hinault when he took to the roads of Oman.

Not that Prost is any slouch himself and since retiring from driving, the Frenchman is as often seen on two wheels as he is on four, and is a regular on the cyclosportive circuit. Indeed, Prost competed in the very first Etape du Tour in 1993, the same year that he captured the fourth of his world titles. On Saturday morning, he rode part of the course of the stage five time trial in the company of Merckx.