The big one, a summit finish atop Mt Faron should define the GC, we are looking for top5 today with Tejay, and ideally, the Youth Jersey.
An early 6 man break got away, including Dombrowski for Exxon-Walmart, no other big names were in the break, and they gained a strong advantage.
Dombrowski realised after a few quick calculations, that the KOM jersey was within reach, and set about collecting points. 2nd at the first, and 1st at the second, meant that he needed just 8points to secure the jersey, could the break hold out to the final climbs of the day?
On the penultimate climb of the day, Valverde made an attack, he joined Dombrowski out in front, but let the young american take the points, meaning he wins the King of the Mountains!
Dombrowski was under strict instruction not to help Valverde, and despite the older cyclist making several requests, he sat on his wheel, to help team mate, Tejay Van Garderen.
With 5km to go, Valverde and Dombrowski held a 32" lead, Landis was pacing VG, as Saxobank kept a high pace to reel in the break.
Sure enough, with 3km to go, Valverde and Joe were all but caught. Tejay came to the front in an effort to drop some of the large group, and successfully reduced the pack to around 60men, and dropped the young leader, Aurelian Duval!
With 1.8km Valverde and Dombrowski were brought back, Tejay was still at the front, and the best climbers in the bunch were preparing to battle the stage out on the final slopes.
700m and the attacks have come, Tejay can't follow after his work, he will have to settle for a slightly lower overall placing, but can pleased that he will win the Youth class, after he managed to drop the other big contenders.
Valverde shows he really was the strongest here. Despite making an attack on the previous climb, he still had the legs to outsprint Rolland and Peraud for the stage and GC.
Tejay comes in 6th on the stage, enough to clinch 10th place overall. Not bad for a first race with a new team, and he will surely improve as his form increases.
Perhaps it was a mistake not to help Valverde when the duo got a break on Mt Faron, but we came here to test Van Garderen, and so that's what we did.
Tejay showed he is a strong climber already, managing to drop around half of the peloton when he took over the pace at the front. Who knows what might have been had he been able to follow in the sprint, but that's part of being with a new team, it takes a while to get to know each others styles and capabilities.
Overall we can be pleased with how the stage and race went, we win the KOM jersey thanks to some great work by new signing Dombrowski, and also collect the -25 jersey. Not a bad haul!
Edited by baggieboys32 on 21-07-2012 01:35
Welcome all, for our team coverage of the Tour of Oman! It promises to be a great week of racing in the middle east, where the usual factors of wind and heat will separate the men from the boys!
The route is the same as last year, 4 flat days to wake up the winter legs, before the climb to Jabel-al-Akhdar in the green mountains, and a final hilly TT which will decide the GC.
Last Year
The tour of oman will always be a special part of the Exxon team, it's where we collected our first GC win ever, and the man who did it is returning to try and repeat his feat.
Danielson proved to be a class apart from the competition on the decisive mountain stage, beating Christophe Kern and Edvald Boassen-Hagen who finished second and third on the podium.
Our Team
We have sent a strong team to Oman, hoping to win the GC. Tom Danielson and Zabriskie proved a very strong pairing and the duo return here hoping to pull of the result.
Unlike last year, Farrar doesn't join us in Oman. His goals are later in the year than they were last season, so he in enjoying a lighter start to the year, which will hopefully set him up better for Le Tour.
The opposition
Danielson looks to be the best climber in the race, most teams seem more interested in the points jersey, most of all, Sky!
There team looks to be devastatingly fast, so expect to see them dominate the sprints, through Boassen-Hagen, Cavendish, Swift, Eisel, Thomas, Briggs and Renshaw!
Omega-Pharma have brought Haussler who may compete in the sprints, along with Europcar who should compete with there collection of sprinters.
Day one will have an effect from wind to make it more difficult, but 147km shouldn't prove too horrendous, so the pack will probably stay together here.
A weak break today, and with 60+ Km/h winds, none of our riders fancied getting into a break which looked so doomed, who never opened more than 4minutes advantage.
Several teams with sprinters took up the chase today, ideal for us as we can save some legs for the later days.
With 12km to go, Omega-Pharma were setting the pace. Few riders actually fell away, but the energy levels at least for us were decimated, how are the sprinters feeling?
Clearly Omega-Pharma think that this is there best option to deal with sky, playing on Hausslers ability to suffer, bred on the cobbles and rain of belgium.
With 3km to go, the sprinters train (mostly sky) held the right hand side, our riders were safe in the peloton, but with so many tired riders, the sprint looked set to be messy.
For some reason the next SS didn't take, but with 1.8km to go, the sprint started. Cavendish was suffering and couldn't compete, along with most sprinters, and Haussler, who I'd written off at 2km as too far back, came flying down the left hand side of the road, to take a brilliant stage victory, clearly OPL got there tactics perfect!
Sky got 3 men into the top10, clearly being able to suffer today was key, as there highest riders were Thomas in 3rd, and Eisel in 9th!
The second day is much like the first, windy, hot and flat. expect a sprint for the line once again, in what promises to be a dull day.
Favourites- Cavendish, Renshaw, Haussler
The days eleven man breakaway contained just one big name, George Hincapie. Our American vet created the move, and they opened a gap thanks to good teamwork in the break.
Sadly, the breakaway were never allowed more than 4minutes, by an Omega-Pharma team, who were clearly trying to repeat yesterdays tactics, setting a high pace to tire other riders (mainly sky.)
The first guys began to sprint way out, probably due to the chaos behind, in the middle near the back, you can see the Sky leadout, with Boassen-Hagen at the front, followed by a Colnago rider, the Swift, Renshaw, Cavendish, and behind him, was Heinrich Haussler of Omega.
With 2km left we started to see the bigger names coming through the pack, Gatto is the man at the front after throwing himself through a gap when opportunity arose.
Cav and Haussler have split, and both seem blocked, will the contest the stage at all?
700m.. Gatto still leads, but flying down his left and right, are Mark Cavendish and Heinrich Haussler.
Sky have found a gap, and are piling there huge list of sprinters through, clearly after more than just first place!
Haussler takes it on the line!
On paper not the better sprinter, but he seemed in better condition after the buffeting from the wind, and takes it by a bike-length.
Following the duo are 3 more Sky riders, meaning they get 2-3-4-5 on the stage, and yet surely they will be gutted to miss out on top spot!
Sorry, this stage was just so boring, that one SS will do it absolute justice!
This stage could, have been a real fight, due to the high winds, and 224km distance. Instead, we didn't even get a breakaway...
The whole pack just rolled along together I presume wanting to take it easy for tomorrows big climb, and the in the final sprint, Flecha gave Boassen-Hagen the perfect leadout, and he got clear by so far that with 200m left, he could throw up his arms, and parade to the line!
He just tucked in on the wheel of Boassen-Hagen who powered away from the bunch, and most of the sprinters were tired, at least if anything compared to my riders with a lowe resistance stat
Thanks for the compliments teddy, unfortunately Green Mountain will have to wait for tomorrow, I'm shattered and need to sleep!
The first of 2 decisive days, comes here with the ascent of Green Mountain. Danielson is the best climber in the race, and we're looking for the victory today!
Daniel Oss brokeaway right at the start of the day, followed by Ben Swift 40" behind, and a group of 8 men, about 1'10" behind him, leaving us with 3 Break groups out in front.
After around 60km, the 3 breaks finally coalesced, and held a growing gap of 7'23" to the peloton, who were taking it easy in the first half!
Once the break hit the 9 minute mark, Exxon-Walmart, and Omega-Pharma Lotto responded in unison, sending men to the front, and quickly starting to bring down the gap.
As the break got to the base of the climb, Dimitry Muravyev of Adria-Mobil attempted to stay away from the closing pack. He attacked his companions, and left them for dead, clearly 150 windy kilometres were taking there toll!
Into the climb, and an Exxon spearhead of Hincapie, Lewis and Zabriskie are setting a terrifying pace!
They brought back the break in no time, and are quickly thinning out the peloton!
With 4.7km to go, the Exxon train was all but burnt, and Danielson takes over by making a dig, only Johannes Frohlinger, and Mitja Mahoric can follow the move, and in no time the break has a minutes gap!
Being the strongest climber, Danielson was forced to make pace, he tried slowing down to let others try, but they just slowed with him, and he tried speeding up, but due to his poor early season fitness, he couldn't drop the duo.
The slowing tactic had no real success, but did at least give him some legs back. As a few other riders bridged the gap, Danielson went again, trying to get clear for the stage.
However, the two fresher climbers were able to follow each of his attacks, and with 700m to go, they rejoined, and opened up there sprints.
In the end, they just rode away from Danielson who had nothing left to fight them with. He finished 22" behind them, which means that whilst he didn't take the stage, he's still well set to win the overall GC tomorrow in the TT.
Good old George in the wind top10? I'd like it. 
