Bos sprints to win at Oman opening stage

Theo Bos (Rabobank) took advantage of an excellent lead out and a perfectly timed sprint to win the opening stage of the Tour of Oman ahead of Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad), Roger Kluge (Skil-Shimano) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky).

The Dutchman is the first to admit that he is still learning how to compete against the best road sprinters in the sport after switching from the track but this victory, his first of 2011, confirms he is getting better and better at combining the chaos of the final kilometres of a road sprint wit his natural speed he developed on the track.

The finish line at the end of the 158km stage was on an exposed, nondescript stretch of road near Al Seeb and a strong tailwind meant the sprint was fast and furious. A rogue spectator in the road also caused problems meaning some riders were forced to move all over the road, while others used the tailwind to move up on their rivals from behind.

Bos found the best way through the confusion and then had the speed to hold off Cavendish as the British sprinter tried to come off his wheel. It was close at the line but as both riders threw their bikes at the line but Bos got it by a few inches.

"It's a huge satisfaction to win. It's a very nice step up in my career. Now I hope I can stay at this level and continue to compete against the best sprinters in the world," Bos said before climbing onto the podium.

"I felt comfortable in the sprint. The team was very good and on the front with about five kilometres to go because we all knew that the roundabout (at just over a one kilometre to go) would be very important and that you had to be in front."

"I accelerated out of the roundabout but then both me and my lead-out man Graeme Brown became a little boxed in. A lot of riders passed us, and we suddenly were near the back of the sprinters group. Fortunately we didn't panic and with 500 metres to go I tried to move up and pass riders."

"I got to the front with about 150 metres to go and I was surprised that I could stay out front. I saw one rider coming up and realised it was Cavendish. But I'm really happy I was able to hold on to the finish line and win."

Bos pulls on the red jersey

Thanks to winning the opening stage in Oman, Bos pulled on the race leader's red jersey.

Time bonuses of 10, six and four seconds means he leads Cavendish by four seconds in the overall classification. Pieter Serry (Topsport Vlaanderen) is third overall after picking up bonus seconds while in the breakaway of the day and Kluge is fourth, also at four seconds.

Some of the big names expected to fill the top 10 where surprisingly much lower down the results. Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Cervelo) finished 17th and told Cyclingnews that he was forced to dive around spectator standing the road. He was not happy about it.

Taylor Phinney finished 19th on his full professional debut with BMC, while Daniele Bennati (Leopard Trek) was 20th and Tom Boonen (Quick Step) further back in 26th place.

World Champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) was just happy to get his first race of the season done without any mishaps. He finished 60th and did not contest the sprint.

Long first day

The stage finished as dusk was falling across the barren Oman countryside after the racing began an hour later than scheduled.

Riders traveled to the start by car but for some reason their bikes were not in Al Sawadi when they got there. The 128 bikes were supposed to set off in four trucks at least half an hour before the riders but the riders were left standing around. When the bikes eventually arrived it was a mad scramble to get the race underway as the race organisers tried to limit the embarrassment of the delay.

When the stage finally got underway, the race soon came alive with 14 riders getting in an early move. When these were pulled back, three riders got away, forming the break of the day. The trio were Pieter Serry (Topsport Vlaanderen), Tanel Kangert (Astana) and Britain's Mark McNally (An Post Sean Kelly).

They opened a 4:55 gap after 50km of racing and they contested both intermediate sprints but the peloton kept them under control and then reeled them in with ten kilometres to go.

Leopard Trek and other teams tried to control the sprint and everyone know position after the final roundabout would be vital with a strong tail wind blowing the riders down the finishing straight.

Rabobank and Bos got it just right, had the best run at the line and so Bos got the stage victory and the first race lead. He also proved that he can take on and beat the best sprinters in the world.

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