The route starts in Samail, a town located about 70 inland at the foot of Jebel Nakhl mountain rage. From there southeast for a sprint and then west for the 2nd sprint in Birkat Al Mouz, before we head into the Jebel Al Akhdar mountain range towards Sayq, for a summit finish at 2100 meters.
The route is flat short and quite easy for the first 131.8 km, but the final 7.1 km with a gradient of 9.9% turns the stage into a climber’s paradise where we are sure to see some gaps turning the GC up side down.
Jabal Al-Akhḍar (The Green Mountain) is a sub range of Al Hajar Mountains, and the highest mountain range in the eastern Arabian Peninsula, the highest point at 3,075 metres.
Top 5 media favorites:
Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain) Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) Jakob Fuglsang Simon Yates (Michelton) Bauke Mollema (Trek)
Masjid Māzin in Samail is said to be to be the oldest mosque in Oman. It was founded by Māzin bin Ghaḍūbah who was considered to the first Omani who adopted Islam during Muhammad's lifetime
Race
Km: 98
Rob Britton (Rally) opens the stage soon to the joined by Lachlan Morton (Dimension Data) Evgeny Shalunov (Gazprom) Zico Waeytens (Véranda's Willems) and Boualem Belmoukhtar (Sovac)
They built a distance of 3’12” after some 20 km, but soon the pace gets higher and it is reduced to around 2’15” - 2’30”
In the meantime we get a crash taking 13 riders down including climber Sergey Firsanov (Gazprom) sprinter Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and 3rd in GC Youcef Reguigui (Sovac), Reguigui forced to withdraw with a broken neck.
Rob Britton wins the intermediate sprint.
Canadian Rob Britton from Regina, Saskatchewan had a good season last year, winning the GC and a stage in Tour of Utah
Km: 27
The distance shrinks to about one minute over the next 60 km.
We get another huge crash, with less than 30 km left may be hard for these riders to get back. Sergey Firsanov down again, Michael Woods (Education First) and one of the stage favourites Bauke Mollema (Trek), some 20 riders involved in the crash.
The breakaway was over a few km prior to the points sprint, but from the peloton Wouter Wippert (Roompot) and Alexander Porsev (Gazprom) give the TV viewers and local spectators value for money, sprinting for the points that they really do not need.
Dutch sprinter Wouter Wippert born 1990 in Wierden, won the final stage in Tour Down Under 2015
Km: 2.5
The tempo get out of the race on the last 5-10 km leading up to the climb, allowing all the lost riders to re-join and nothing happens in the first 3 km of the climb either.
Then with 4.0 km left top favourite Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain) attacks, over the next 1.5 km Jan Hirt able to lead Jakob Fuglsang holding the distance to Nibali at 10”, at the rear of this 2nd group also Egan Bernal (Sky)
Nibali leads with 3 riders right behind, but the other favorites just 17” further back
400 m
Jan Hirt is done, and Fuglsang/Bernal was joined by Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) Davide Rebellin (Sovac), Simon Yates (Michelton) and Geraint Thomas (Sky)
Acceleration from first Zakarin then Rebellin and final Fuglsang drops Bernal and Thomas.
Nibali has 23” unless he completely explode he will win the stage. The third group 9 riders at another 24”,
Zakarin leads the 2nd group but Rebellin and Fuglsang coming fast, the podium not settled yet.
Russian 28 years old Ilnur Azatovitj Zakarin from Naberezjnyje Tjelny, Tatarstan, have been seen as on upcoming Grand Tour star because of his ability’s as an all-rounder, at first he did not meet the expectations, but with last season’s podium in Vuelta a España now may be his time
Km: 0.0
Vincenzo Nibali wins on The Green Mountain in front of Jakob Fuglsang and Ilnur Zakarin
Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiani) also abandons with a broken neck and Tomas Buchácek (Elkov) with a sprained wrist.
Four times grand tour winner Vincenzo Nibali from Messina, Sicily, wins the mountain stage, his first win of the season
Astana Pro Team
A great stage for us, Jacob Fuglsang moves to 2nd in GC, Sergey Chernetckii again in splendid form 5th that was a lot beyond expectation.
Jan Hirt such a big part of Jacob’s result.
The stage starts in Portimao, at first moving north for the first climb in Serra de Monchique, then east and south in the valley between the mountain ranges, before we move in the Serra de Mú ou Caldeirão Mountains taking up the 2nd part of the stage. First over Alto do Malhão and then a circular route, before we got the second and final climb to Alto do Malhão.
The Mountain climbs are not very hard and the stage is considered a semi-mountain stage, but with the uphill finish could turn out to be a very important stage never the less.
Top 5 media favorites:
Sergio Henao (Sky) Diego Ulissi (UAE) Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) Michael Matthews (Sunweb) Richie Porte (BMC)
Portimão is located on the banks of Arade River mouth, providing natural protection of the large fishing fleet working from the harbor
Race
Km: 109
Marco Minnaard (Wanty) opens the stage, getting away on his own, but he was brought back.
Instead we get a much more serious attack, ending with 6 riders passing the early KoM 3 together, Jelle Vanendert (Lotto Soudal) Damiano Cunego (NIPPO) Egor Silin (Radio Popular) José Mendes (Burgos) Sergio Pardilla (Caja Rural) and Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto Soudal)
None of these riders is close in the KoM, Jelle Vanendert takes the 6 points.
Before they reach the first points sprint, they are joined by Mikel Bizkarra (Euskadi) and later Toms Skujins and Niklas Eg both (Trek)
Damiano Cunego wins both points sprints
36 years old Italian Damiano Cunego have 44 professional victories, at his prime in 2004 winning the GC in Giro d'Italia and Il Lombardia
Km: 80
At some point the breakaway had more than 3 minutes, but over the uphill section leading up to the last KoM, it is down to 2’04”
The breakaway was fractalized, Toms Skujins takes the KoM in front of José Mendes
Pardilla at 7”, Eg at 28”, rest of breakaway at 42”
After that Cunego joins the four riders in front to form a new group, but the gap is soon melting and with 32 km left it is over.
The peloton now just 29 riders and we get a 9 rider crash with no important rider and no serious injuries.
Toms Skujins takes the 10 points at Alto do Malhão, the 26 tears old Latvian came 2nd in GC at last year’s Coppi e Bartali after winning 2nd stage
Km: 2
As so often before when the breakaway get caught, the pace drops a bit and a few riders catch up. The leading group grows to 36 riders, but then the fight for position begin and 6 riders get dropped again, before we get to the final two km, with slopes above 10%
Immediately and on the steepest first part Sergio Henao (Sky) attack
30 years old Colombian Sergio Luis Henao won Paris-Nice last season
Km: 0.0
Henao first under the red kite, distance measured to 14” down to a group of 26.
With just some 200-300 hundred meters the 2nd group get some distance to the next group. Dylan Teuns - Richie Porte (BMC) Jonathan Castroviejo (Sky) Michael Matthews -Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) Ben Swift - Diego Ulissi (UAE)
Sergio Henao wins the stage, taking his first victory of the season, in front of Richie Porte 2nd and Ben Swift 3rd.
16 more riders get the same time as Porte and Swift.
Henao was born in Rionegro in 1987, after many good amateur results signing with Sky in 2012
Astana Pro Team
Not the best day for us, only positive was that Valgren and Sánchez only lost time to Henao
Stage 5: Al Alam Palace - Ministry of Housing 142.6 km
The stage start in Old Muscat, the historical city that was the original capital today separated from the modern Muscat by mountains only reachable by 3 km costal road.
From there is a sort of circular route, between Qaboos Port, Central Modern Muscat and Al Hajar to the south, before we finish in Muscat by the Ministry of Housing.
The route is rather hard with three late climbs on narrow road in the mountains near Bawshar, taken from both directions. We must expect a reduced group of climber/punchers to fight for the win. A bit strange the 2nd points sprint also counts as a KoM cat.3
Top 5 media favorites:
Bauke Mollema (Trek) Simon Yates (Michelton) Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) Gianni Moscon (Sky)
Muscat as a port city was already mentioned in writing during the roman era in the first century
French painter Charles Dominique Fouqueray , born 1869 has painted life in Oman harbour, approx 1920
Race
Km: 83
After just 3 km we get to the first short but steep uncategorized hill, a good moment to launch the attack, Stijn Devolder (Véranda's Willems) opens with Jiří Polnický (Elkov) at wheel.
The duo soon built a lead of 3’30” but after about 30 km, the peloton starts to up the pace.
Jiří Polnický takes the first points sprint.
Devolder and Polnický opens the race, the 28 years old Czech Jiří Polnický best result was a stage in Grody Piastowskie 2016
Km: 30
Devolder setting pace in the breakaway, but the peloton is fast and getting closer and closer. The two final points sprints sits on to of first and third top, making them play out as hill sprints.
Stijn Devolder attacks over the first points/KoM sprint, starting to lay distance to Polnický. At the foot of the 2nd KoM climb Devolder has 43” to Polnický and 1’06” to the peloton, led by Logan Owen (Education First)
Belgian Stijn Devolder was in the breakaway at stage one, resulting in overnight KoM lead, another 6 point today and he will get that again
Km: 12
It was not to be for Devolder, driven by Education First the pace was very high on the climb (km at 8%), Hugh Carthy takes the KoM leading the peloton over the top.
Sergey Chernetckii 2nd and by that shared KoM leader with Vincenzo Nibali
The peloton was reduced to 43 riders before the final climb, on the climb further thinning dramatically, just 18 riders over the top together.
Attack from Bauke Mollema (Trek), at his wheel Egan Bernal (Sky), best placed behind those, Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha), Marc Soler (Movistar) and Giulio Ciccone (Bardiani)
31 years old Dutch Bauke Mollema has started the season in great form, winning 2 stages and GC in Vuelta Mallorca
km 6
The acceleration from Mollema do not stick, we get a group of 16 riders closing in on the finish line. The only rider from GC top ten not in the group is Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) more than 45” back likely to drop out of top ten.
Simon Yates (Michelton) attack
British Simon Yates was born in Bury, Manchester 1992, the 25 years old riders latest win was a stage in Tour de Romandie last season
Km: 0.0
Simon Yates keeps up the distance and wins the stage in front of Bauke Mollema 2nd and Vincenzo Nibali 3rd.
All the first 16 riders get the same time resulting in little chance in GC, except that Boasson Hagen lost 1’10” leaving room for Giulio Ciccone in top 10 and Simon Yates passed Sergey Chernetckii for 4th.
Simon Yates first official win was in 2013 before he turned professional, winning a stage in Tour of Britain riding for the national team
Astana Pro Team
Very good result for us that Jakob Fuglsang lost no time on a hilly stage that might have been dangerous. Sergey Chernetckii falling back a little was not perfect but acceptable considering the riders in top 10.
The stage starts in Castro Marim located at the eastern most part of the Algarve coast, just a few km from Guadiana River separation Portugal from Spain.
From Castro Marim we are heading northwest into the hills, making the first section mostly uphill to the time check near the village Estorninhos, after the time check it is mainly downhill, southwest towards the finish in costal Tavira
Archaeological evidence have proved Phoenician walls to protect some sort of settlement from the 8th century BC, but Tavira was first mentioned in writing during the Muslim Moorish rule of Algarve as “at-Tabira”, a relative small settlement, but it had a castle close to the west bank of Gilão River mouth.
Top 5 media favorites:
Jonathan Castroviejo (Sky) Richie Porte (BMC) Luke Durbridge (Michelton) Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) Ion Izagirre (Bahrain)
The so called Roman bridge in Tavira, is from 1667, it was built on the foundation of the Roman bridge on the route from Faro to Castro Marim.
Race
Truls Engen Korsaeth sets a good early time 54’12”, 1’40” faster than the rider in front of him.
After a while he was beaten by Nuno Almeida (LA.Aluminios) 53’35”, but the first very good time comes from Michael Hepburn (Michelton) 51’18”
Australian 26 years old Michael Hepburn, have some good track results, best was winner of the UCI World Track Championships in 2013
First to beat Hepburn intermediate time check was Lennard Kämna (Sunweb) 6” faster, but at full time he has lost 9” and Hepburn was still in the Hot-Seat
Then Tao Geoghegan Hart (Sky) with a fast first sector time 13” faster than Hepburn and we get a new best 50’54”
Just 22 year old Tao Geoghegan Hart signed with Sky for the 2017 season, his best result GC 8th in Tour of California, impressive at his age
Tiago Machado (Katusha) with a good first sector just 2” behind Hart, but he loses some on the last sector +16”
Damiano Caruso (BMC) first sector 2” faster than Hart, and with a perfect 2nd sector new best time 50’32”
A fast Damiano Caruso passes Astana’s Jesper Hansen on the downhill section
Then fist new best from Sergio Paulinho (Efapel) 50’30
Then two new best time both from Team Sky riders, Sergio Luis Henao 50’08” and soon after Jonathan Castroviejo 49’23” a brilliant time.
But is you might expect from the times we have seen so far it will take a true GC riders to win on this undulated time trail, Richie Porte (BMC) wins the stage with 49'04”
32 years old Australian Richie Porte's latest win was Tour de Romandie last season, Porte crash heavily on the descent from Mont du Chat at the Tour de France, spoiling the rest of his season
Astana Pro Team
Luis León Sánchez came 9th in the ITT and by that moved to 6th in GC that was fine.
Michael Valgren had an awful ride losing more than we had anticipated falling to 15th in GC
Stage 6: Hawiyat Najm Park - Ministry of Housing 142.6 km
The stage start at Hawiyat Najm Park, from there we are heading north along the coast up to Quriyat, and then a left turn inland for today’s only climb in the hills before we head further north for the finish in Muscat at Mutrah Corniche.
Mutrah Corniche is the beautiful seaside promenade stretching for 3 kilometres along Muscat waterfront, with international restaurants, traditional cafes and markets.
The stage is on paper a sprinter friendly affair, but three short but very steep bumps within the final 15 km might suggest that you may need some punch to get first over the line.
Arabic meaning of Hawiyat Najm Park literally meaning Meteor Fall Park is a legend, Bimmah Sinkhole occurred naturally due to limestone erosion and the collapse of the rocks.
Race
Km: 87
Matej Zahálka (Elkov) opens the race, as usual “Elkov – Author” doing their best to show the sponsor logo’s. At his wheel we got Logan Owen (Education First), Vasil Kiryienka (Sky) and Daniel Jaramillo (UnitedHealthcare)
Sergey Chernetckii also attempts to get away several times to secure the KoM lead, but he was not allowed to go.
The breakaway gets to the points sprint with 2’52”, Zahálka wins without fight.
The group also passes the KoM together, Logan Owen takes the 6 points again without fight.
25 years old Czech Matej Zahálka, have never been riding a race above CT level before, amongst his best results was 7th in Visegrad 4 Kerekparverseny last season
Km: 6.4 km
In the peloton it is Julien Bernard (Trek), Jasha Sütterlin (Movistar) and Hugo Houle working to reel in the breakaway.
With 23 km left the breakaway has 1’15, Logan Owen attacks from the breakaway but was caught over the first bump, at the foot of the 2nd bump Vasil Kiryienka attacks.
Over the top Matej Zahálka joins Logan Owen, now the only two riders left in front of the bunch, 9 km left.
Then from the peloton Ryan Anderson (Rally) attacks and joins the duo, behind them it is now Astana chasing.
30 years old Canadian Ryan Anderson best result was 2nd in Tour of Elk Grove 2013
700 m
Under the 5 km banner the break was reeled in, Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) makes a bold move over the last bump and gets a small gap, as the other favourites hesitates to answer
Zakarin first under the red kite he got about 12”
Ilnur Azatovitj Zakarin was riding on Katusha development team in 2012, but it was 2015 before he joined Team Katusha on world tour level, winning the GC in Tour de Romandie at his first season
Km: 0.0
Caleb Ewan (Michelton) first of the riders closing in at Zakarin from behind, with Sergey Chernetckii right behind.
A little further back another seven riders Egan Bernal (Sky) and Ryan Anderson (Rally) first and behind them Jan HirtJakob Fuglsang Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain) Jack Haig and Daryl Impey (Michelton) about 30” to the next group.
Caleb Ewan and Sergey Chernetckii just overtake Zakarin for the stage win and 2nd right on the line.
Vincenzo Nibali won the overall GC, his first season GC win and he will also take the King of Mountain. The bonus seconds Zakarin gets it is just enough to overtake Fuglsang for 2nd in in the GC.
This was Caleb Ewan’s 2nd stage win of the season, he also won the opening stage of the tour and will also take the points classification
Astana Pro Team
Stage:
Sergey Chernetckii with his 2nd stage podium, brilliant racing form him again.
GC:
Though we are not happy losing a slot in GC on the last relative easy stage, we anticipated a top 3-5 result and as such can be very satisfied with Fuglsang’s podium, and Chernetckii 4th with a stage win.
Smart attack from Zakarin which got him a podium spot in the end. Pity Sergey couldn't win to finish on the podium, but 3-4 in the GC is never bad in a preparation race.
Kiserlovski01 wrote:
Smart attack from Zakarin which got him a podium spot in the end. Pity Sergey couldn't win to finish on the podium, but 3-4 in the GC is never bad in a preparation race.
The race was better than we could hope for, so congratz to Zakarin beeing the clever rider on the final stage.
The final stage of Volta ao Algarve is raced as 11 rounds of about 7.5 km on a circuit route in and around the town Almodôvar. The stage is short and flat clearly favouring the pure sprinter.
Almodôvar was already an important settlement in Bronze Age, several inscriptions have been found from this period (8th – 5th century BC) in the area, written in the earliest “language” know at Iberian Peninsula, Southwest Paleohispanic script.
Top 5 media favorites:
Michael Matthews (Sunweb) Ben Swift (UAE) Phil Bauhaus (Sunweb) Edward Theuns (Sunweb) Greg Van Avermaet (BMC)
Museu da Escrita do Sudoeste houses Bronze Age inscriptions on stone found near Almodôvar
Race
KM: 59
Fabio Mansilhas (Aluminios) opens the stage just as the flag drops.
The breakaway soon grows to a group of 6 riders, the others are Samuel Caldeira (W52) Fabio Silvestre (Tavira) Cyril Barthe (Euskadi) Adrián González (Burgos) and Laurent Didier (Trek) and they build a lead which stabilize around 1’10”
Portuguese Fabio Andrade Mansilhas celebrates his 23rd birthday today sitting in the breakaway. This is his first season with LA Aluminios and his result list is basically empty
KM: 58
Radio Popular have decided against a breakaway win, contribution 5 to 6 riders to the chase taking most of the turns.
Then suddenly a rider in the middle of the peloton miscalculate a sharp corner, crashes and takes 22 riders down, another 16 riders lose time caught behind the crash.
Amongst the crashed riders are stage favourites Phil Bauhaus (Sunweb), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Youth Jersey holder Ruben Guerreiro (Trek)
Amongst 23 years old Portuguese Ruben Antonio Almeida Guerreiro’s best result was winning the GP Liberty Seguros in 2015
KM: 14.6
With the confusion caused by the crash, the teams need to check if they lost riders and if they did reorganize accordantly, the breakaway was able to increase the gap a little and it takes a lot of time before it start to drop again.
With 15 km left it is 51” and finally UAE has decided to up the pace, but still under 50 km/hour. Anass Aït El Abdia may not be the right choice for this task.
24 years old Moroccan Anass Aït El Abdia best result was winning Tour du Maroc last season
KM: 0.0
It is like everyone in the peloton was expecting and waiting was Sunweb to take charge for top favourite Michael Matthews, but they never do likely distressed by the fact that crashed lead-out Phil Bauhaus never make it back to the front.
The stage goes to the breakaway, Samuel Caldeira (W52) winning in Almodôvar.
Fabio Silvestre (Tavira) 2nd at Cyril Barthe (Euskadi) last man on the podium.
Overall Richie Porte (BMC) takes the GC win, in front of Jonathan Castroviejo and Sergio Luis Henao both from Sky. Richie Porte also won the Australia Road National Championships earlier this season, otherwise his first season win.
32 years old Portuguese Samuel José Caldeira’s was also winning a stage in last season’s Volta a Portugal
Astana Pro Team
GC wise would tend to call this race “5 days at the office”. Not overly happy but not too sad either.
The fact that Alexey Lutsenko did win the King og Mountain competition was what made the race for us
19/2 Christopher Froome won Vuelta a Andalucía, also winning stage 4, his first season win.
19/2 Roland Thalmann (Vorarlberg-Santic) won GP Laguna Porec
24 yeras old Swiss Roland Thalmann got his first professional win at Croatian one-day race GP Laguna Porec
The injury Dairo Cataldo got in a crash at San Juan 24/1, is causing problems, preventing his training. It is still uncertain if he will be able to attend Tirreno - Adriatico starting 7/3, if not may also hurt his Giro preparation.
The team leadership have officially proclaimed a target in Strade Bianche, coming up soon. Top 5 or better.
Five Astana riders is on the startlist, Luis León Sánchez, Magnus Cort Nielsen, Omar Fraile, Oscar Gatto, Laurens De Vreese, keeping two slots open for last minute adjustments.
Latest Winners:
2017: Rui Costa - 2016: Tanel Kangert - 2015: Esteban Chaves
Squad:
Alexey Lutsenko - Tanel Kangert - Magnus Cort Nielsen
Sergey Chernetckii - Omar Fraile - Jesper Hansen
Daniil Fominykh
Expectations:
Our expectations it that Alexey Lutsenko might be able to aim for a GC top 5. But anything inside top 10 would be acceptable with the lack of a strong tempo rider as we expect Tanel Kangert to be hurt by bad form
Might be possible that Sergey Chernetckii could again over perform due to the great form we have seen lately. We would also like to see Magnus Cort take a podium on a flat stage, but the competition is tough so we can only hope.
Ya, but another race where we can not expect too much.
My secret hope is that Chernetckii will over perform again, but i guess riders like Jonathan Castroviejo and Vasil Kiryienka will be almost impossible to beat even though his form curve is perfect.
and lets hope for some better luck in Abu Dhabi 
