Finn Fisher-Black soloed to victory at the Muscat Classic after dropping the remnants of the peloton with an explosive attack up the final climb to Al Jissah.
The Kiwi held off the chasing peloton for his second professional win in the final 4km with the reduced group only able to battle it out for the remaining podium spots. Luke Lamperti (Soudal-QuickStep) won the sprint for second with Amaury Capiot (Arkéa - B&B Hotels) in third.
“I felt pretty good from even [the Tour] Down Under and then last week especially in the final climb I felt really good so I was just hoping I could carry the form through to this week,” said Fisher-Black.
“To get a win already today is really special. I was thinking on the top of the climb when I was alone ‘I have to be alone’ because I don’t want to risk losing another sprint like last week so it was nice to come home alone and take the win.”
Fisher-Black was referring to his strong form at the AlUla Tour where, despite losing the final sprint at the AlUla Tour behind Simon Yates and William Lecerf, he was third overall and looked in great early-season shape.
Former junior World Champion Emil Herzog (Bora-Hansgrohe) looked set for victory after he dropped the final survivor of the day’s early move with a two-minute advantage 25km from the line, but he was chased down over the final climb before Fisher Black attacked.
The Muscat Classic is the one-day warm-up race that precedes the five-day Tour of Oman stage race which begins tomorrow. Fisher Black makes up part of a very strong UAE Emirates team starting with Adam Yates as leader.
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A three-man group led the opening half of the race, Manabu Ishibashi (JCL UKYO), Irwandie Lakasek (Terengganu Cycling Team) and Aiman Cahyadi (Terengganu Cycling Team). Their advantage grew past the seven-minute mark but they would drop one by one as the climbs came thick and fast.
Herzog was the first to make any gap stick after active racing in the peloton from Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Dstny) and Adne van Engelen (Roojai Insurance). He launched inside the final 50 kilometres and had reeled in and dropped Ishibashi after 20km of aggressive chasing.
Soudal-QuickStep worked to peg him back with Fausto Masnada and Anthoine Huby both launching attacks that may not have stuck but did reduce the German’s advantage. Herzog was caught just midway up the final climb.
Fisher Black’s attack saw little response with no one able to match his power on the steepest inclines. The peloton had him in their sights as he crossed the line and came to a near halt, but the damage was done.
James Moultrie is a gold-standard NCTJ journalist who joined Cyclingnews as a News Writer in 2023 after originally contributing as a freelancer for eight months, during which time he also wrote for Eurosport, Rouleur and Cycling Weekly. Prior to joining the team he reported on races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d’Italia Donne for Eurosport and has interviewed some of the sport’s top riders in Chloé Dygert, Lizzie Deignan and Wout van Aert. Outside of cycling, he spends the majority of his time watching other sports – rugby, football, cricket, and American Football to name a few.
