Kristoff Wins Tour Of Oman Stage Two

Last updated : 19 February 2014 By Covsupport News Service

Alexander Kristoff of Katusha won the second stage of the fifth Tour Of Oman on Wednesday.

The 142 riders with Lotto's Andre Greipel in the leaders red jersey set off on 139km stage from Al Bustan to Quriyat after holding a minute's silence for IAM Cycling's Kristoff Goddaert who was killed in an accident in Belgium yesterday.

Preben Van Hecke of Topsport, yesterday's most agressive rider of the day, Colonna of Barliani and Ilesic of UnitedHealthCare soon had built up a six minute lead.

After 35kms, that had gone out to 7.25 so Sébastien Hinault of IAM Cycling set after the trio, getting to within 3.50 of the escapers before re-joining the peloton.

Van Hecke took the first sprint of the day after 62kms and as the gap started to come down, he took the second with eighteen kilometres remaining.

Now, it was only Van Hecke and Colonna who were clear after Ilesic caught by the peloton at the 117kms mark. 

On a day where the temperatures were around 25 degrees, Van Hecke and Colonna were finally caught with ten kilometres to go and the peloton headed in one bunch towards the finish line at Quriyat.

The sprint was on and Katusha's Alexander Kristoff got away to take the win, beating Leigh Howard of Orica Green Edge and Tom Boonen of Omega Pharma Quick Step.

Leigh Howard's second place for the second successive stage meant that he takes over as the race leader going into stage three.