Back in Belgium. Oman really was an adventure, but I'm happy to be back here where I don't melt if I walk out my door.
Here is what happened in the final three stages in Oman.
Tour of Oman - Stage 4
Halfway the Tour of Oman so that gave us the courage to face the next stage!
Profile
Can we defend Matthew's leader's jersey here? It'll be tough, but we'll do our best. Cameron Meyer is another decent bet for today. With all the climbers here, we'd consider a top 5 to be a big success.
Whether we can defend the jersey here is irrelevant. This jersey gave us a responsibility and we took it. Seeing how the final mountain is too much for me, I spend the first 100 kilometers taking turns.
Then it was basically a one man show. The name is Froome, Chris Froome.
Nobody even came close. What a performance. We said a top 5 would be great, and Cameron Meyer went to the maximum to get that. 5th on the Green Mountain, way to go, Cameron!
As for me, I crawled up that mountain at my own pace. When I reached the top, finally, I realized we never had a chance of defending Matthews' jersey here today.
At my age, you can't be sure what kind of rider you'll turn into. But I can already tell you what I won't turn into: a climber. What a day!
Result - Stage 4
1
Chris Froome
Team Sky
3h15'27
2
Nairo Quintana
Movistar Team
+ 1'51
3
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
+ 3'03
4
Nicolas Roche
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
5
Cameron Meyer
Orica GreenEdge
+ 3'50
6
Rigoberto Urán
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 4'02
7
Michael Rogers
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
8
Sergio Henao
Team Sky
s.t.
9
Alberto Losada
Team Katusha
s.t.
10
Peter Kennaugh
Team Sky
s.t.
Tour of Oman - Stage 5
Without the leader's jersey we can move around more freely. Time to use that to our advantage!
Profile
The most unpredictable profile of this Tour of Oman. Today we hope to secure Matthews' Points Jersey. Another victory would be pretty nice, too, of course!
Today was definitely our bad-luck day. Matthews hit the dust (literally dust here in Oman) pretty hard. Mouris, Docker and me waited to bring him back to the peloton. We had to chase hard for 10 kilometers after having to wait for Michael to get a new bike.
We reached the back of the peloton just in time. On the first hillside, I brought him back to the front of peloton, but my race was over there. I dropped back 50 places immediately.
And at the foot of the next climb, Meyer got caught with a flat tire. At the worst possible time!
In the end, the victory went to the breakaway. Matthews came in third and mathematically secured his Points Jersey.
Tour of Oman - Stage 6
Profile
Another exciting finish. We're very motivated to make the most of this final day.
My job today? Easy, seeing how we did on the third day, I had the pull in the lead-out at the final short, steep climb. And so I did.
I felt strong and I upped the pace. I saw the team hanging on but hesitation behind us, so I threw myself downhill.
And again we forced a gap! It was me, Impey, Matthews, Meyer and Quintana, who was looking to gain back time on Froome.
We worked together perfectly and delivered Matthews for win n° 3 here! Yes!
As a reward for all my hard work in this Tour of Oman, I finish 5th, which really puts me in the spotlight of international cycling for just a minute.
You can imagine our joy on the team bus. Our flight back was for the next day so we hit the town that night and celebrated. 3 stage victories, unreal!
Result - Stage 6
1
Michael Matthews
Orica GreenEdge
3h05'04
2
Daryl Impey
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
3
Nairo Quintana
Movistar Team
s.t.
4
Cameron Meyer
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
5
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
6
Ángel Vicioso
Team Katusha
s.t.
7
Daniele Bennati
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
8
Chris Froome
Team Sky
s.t.
9
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
10
Mark Cavendish
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
General Classification: Chris Froome Points Classification: Michael Matthews Mountain Points Classification: Chris Froome Best Young Rider: Nairo Quintana Best Team: Team Sky
And that concludes Oman. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience. We as a team did extremely well, with Matthews really opening up as a new top sprinter. But for me, too, it was an important race. I showed myself to the world. The DS had some kind words for me in his interview to the press:
[...]I'm real happy about Matthias here. He's shown his strength and that he can be a real bull on the bike. Write down his name for the future.[...]
I'm back in Belgium now, all ready for the Belgian opening weekend. I hope you're ready, too!
Matt
SSJ2Luigi - Early races always depend too much on form. I'll wait when the season really starts (Matthews, Impey and Vleminckx already have a nice form atm)
Jakstar22 - I think so! Hope he can deliver on the cobbles as well.
Cycleman123 - Wasn't possible He was flat out after that pull over the hill.
Jesleyh - Me, too. Will ride Omloop probably today
welker3257 - I agree. Let's hope we can keep it up
Today was a big day for me. It's the start of the Belgian cycling season, with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, a 200 km cobbled semi-classic. For the past few days, it has been raining nonstop. However, when I got out of bed this morning, I saw a blue sky and not a cloud in sight. What did this mean for me? Well, it would certainly be a fast race. The cobblestones would be dry, which reduces the risk of flat tires and falls.
Profile
This year's edition features some of my favorite climbs, with Eikenberg, Taaienberg and Wolvenberg. The wind blows head on in the final 20 kilometers, so that might play a vital role in today's race. I have been given a free role for this weekend. There are no WT points to be earned, so the team just wants to see what I can do. I hope I won't disappoint them.
The team management hasn't given any specific goals for today. It's more a test. For myself, I hope to ride top 25, I think it's possible and realistic. I know these roads and without having to work for a leader, I can definitely manage that. Secretely I hope for a top 10 place, of course. Under the right circumstances, I know it could happen.
I must admit I was quite nervous. It was great to see some of my buddies at Topsport Vlaanderen again, though. We wished each other luck and we got ready for the start.
I took an easy start, hoping to save myself enough so I can hang on in the final 50 kilometers. We managed to get a team mate in the breakaway, though. Three names got away:
Tuft
Barta
Ottema
They had a maximum advantage of 8 minutes 23 seconds.
I was quite relaxed in the peloton. The nice weather and small breakaway group made for a peloton that wasn't nervous as all. Though I was starting to get curious how my legs were. So it was waiting for the first cobbled section, then I'd know a lot more.
When I hit the first cobbles, I knew I had good legs. I could really do something today. My hopes for a top 10 place rose. It was optimistic, but depending on how the peloton would split up and with a fast sprint, anything was possible.
With 90 kilometers to go, Gatto broke away. Where the hell was he going?
The peloton certainly didn't worry about it. But the cobbled sections were coming up now, I was positioning myself at the front.
Just in time, too. The Taaienberg broke up the entire peloton. I came over the top in 15th - 20th position.
Things wouldn't slow down from here. Some teams picked up the pace and things really got moving. Hayman, experienced as he is, showed me where to ride, when to ride, to save energy.
We fast forward a bit. With 20 kilometers to go, several attackers tried to get away.
With 15 kilometers left, there were 9 riders in front. I was in the first chasing group. But it became obvious quite soon that we'd be racing for place 10. With Boonen, Cancellara, Vanmarcke and Chavanel in front, it was a done deal. I started focusing on that 10th place.
In a sprint with 3, Tom Boonen finally crowned himself winner of the Omloop. He had to wait his entire career for this.
With a little help from the OPQS boys, our chasing group stayed together. I was quite tired but I threw myself in the sprint. A 10th place in the Omloop was looming, I couldn't pass up this opportunity!
Alas, Oss and Stybar had more energy left and sprinted faster than me. I finished 12th.
I didn't feel bad about it at all, though. I put in a great performance and finished within the top 15.
Result
It's these kinds of results that will get me noticed in the peloton. I hope I can keep up my current level and deliver another performance like this tomorrow in Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne.
Day two of the opening weekend. As a sprinter, I have been looking forward to this day since the start of the season!
Profile
There is some tough terrain along the way, but the end is flat, and we believe it'll turn into a mass sprint. We're here with Goss, Keukeleire, Howard and myself. Near the end we'll see who's where and who has the best legs.
Today we were destined to get wet. The clouds were grey and rain was in the air.
On top of the Oude Kwaremont, I was surprised by the audience. I must've been close to Tom Boonen because the crowd was unbelievably loud.
I got to the top okay. Then some teams decided to pick up the pace and the peloton was drawn to a line.
We were heading towards the finish line with a big peloton. No communication in this non-WT event so I had no idea where Goss or Keukeleire were. I made my move forward in the hope to find them there.
Niki Terpstra tried to avoid a mass sprint with a late attack.
And then... it's a part of cycling. Jens Keukeleire, placed perfectly at Goss' wheel for the sprint, loses control of his wheel as it slips away in the corner. We're at the front of the peloton, so he takes down half the bunch so to speak.
I made contact with the floor, myself, and hurt my shoulder pretty badly.
But I got up okay and I was able to get back on the bike, which is always a relief. I was just getting to the front of the race when I fell, damn it. I think I could've put in a decent sprint.
Terpstra got caught in the final 20 meters by a sprinting peloton. Goss came close but he was beaten on the line by a promising Jens Debusschere.
I finished the race 5 minutes down, as 118th.
Result
1
Jens Debusschere
Lotto Belisol
4h44'57
2
Matthew Goss
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
3
Nacer Bouhanni
FDJ.fr
s.t.
4
André Greipel
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
5
Arnaud Demare
FDJ.fr
s.t.
6
Niki Terpstra
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
7
Jonathan Hivert
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Matthieu Ladagnous
FDJ.fr
s.t.
9
Giacomo Nizzolo
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
10
Geraint Thomas
Team Sky
s.t.
(...)
118
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
+ 5'00
Spoiler
11
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
12
Maarten Wynants
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
13
Greg Van Avermaet
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
14
Lars Ytting Bak
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
15
Tom Slagter
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
16
Ben Hermans
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
17
Danilo Hondo
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
18
Jacopo Guarnieri
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
19
Zdenek Stybar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
20
Hayden Roulston
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
21
Jürgen Roelandts
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
22
Jasper Stuyven
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
23
Nick Nuyens
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
24
Francis Mourey
FDJ.fr
s.t.
25
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Team Sky
s.t.
26
Laurens De Vreese
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
27
Tom Boonen
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
28
Sebastian Langeveld
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
29
Klaas Lodewyck
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
30
Frederik Willems
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
31
Bryan Coquard
Team Europcar
s.t.
32
Fabian Wegmann
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
33
Peter Kennaugh
Team Sky
s.t.
34
Markel Irizar
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
35
Stijn Vandenbergh
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
36
Fabian Cancellara
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
37
David Boucher
FDJ.fr
s.t.
38
Jan Ghyselinck
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
39
Vasil Kiryienka
Team Sky
s.t.
40
Sep Vanmarcke
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
41
Björn Leukemans
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
42
Danilo Napolitano
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
43
Gert Steegmans
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
44
Vincent Jérôme
Team Europcar
+ 1'02
45
Bert De Backer
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
46
Bert-Jan Lindeman
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
47
Karsten Kroon
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
48
Sébastien Rosseler
Veranclassic - Doltcini
s.t.
49
Preben Van Hecke
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
50
Nathan Haas
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
51
Alex Howes
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
52
Peter Stetina
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
53
Dennis Van Winden
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
54
Olivier Kaisen
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
55
Paolo Tiralongo
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
56
Ruslan Tleubayev
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
57
Wilco Kelderman
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
+ 1'46
58
Luka Mezgec
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
59
Stig Broeckx
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
60
Lars Boom
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
61
Yves Lampaert
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
62
Tom Dumoulin
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
63
Dylan Groenewegen
Cyclingteam De Rijke
s.t.
64
Alexandre Pichot
Team Europcar
s.t.
65
Ronan Van Zandbeek
Cyclingteam De Rijke
s.t.
66
Matthew Hayman
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
67
Leigh Howard
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
68
Antoine Demoitie
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
69
Laurens Ten Dam
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
70
Fränk Schleck
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
71
Joseph Dombrowski
Team Sky
s.t.
72
Nicki Sørensen
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
73
Louis Verhelst
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
74
Edwig Cammaerts
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
75
Mickaël Delage
FDJ.fr
+ 2'42
76
Sebastian Lander
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
77
Nico Sijmens
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
78
Boris Dron
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
79
Arthur Van Overberghe
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
80
Kevin Van Melsen
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
81
Gorik Gardeyn
Veranclassic - Doltcini
s.t.
82
Jan Bakelants
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
83
Jens Keukeleire
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
84
Nikolai Trussov
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
85
Mitchell Docker
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
86
Elmar Reinders
Cyclingteam Jo Piels
s.t.
87
Vytautas Kaupas
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
88
Sébastien Delfosse
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
89
Laurent Evrard
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
90
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke
Team Sky
s.t.
91
Raymond Kreder
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
92
Tom Vermeer
Cyclingteam Jo Piels
+ 3'41
93
Arman Kamyshev
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
94
Evan Huffman
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
95
Marc Goos
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
96
Dennis Vanendert
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
97
Kanstantsin Siutsou
Team Sky
s.t.
98
Jack Bauer
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
99
Kenny Elissonde
FDJ.fr
s.t.
100
Roy Curvers
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
101
Daniele Bennati
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
102
Romain Zingle
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
103
Alessandro Petacchi
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
104
Alexsandr Dyachenko
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
105
Joeri Stallaert
Veranclassic - Doltcini
s.t.
106
Bobbie Traksel
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
107
Johan Coenen
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
108
Pit Schlechter
Leopard Development Team
s.t.
109
Mark Cavendish
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
110
Zico Waeytens
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
111
Larry Warbasse
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
112
Valerio Agnoli
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
113
Joshua Edmondson
Team Sky
s.t.
114
Yannick Eijssen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
115
Thomas Degand
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
116
Julien Fouchard
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
117
Alexandre Geniez
FDJ.fr
s.t.
118
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
+ 5'00
119
Nicolas Edet
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
120
Yohann Gène
Team Europcar
s.t.
121
Maurits Lammertink
Cyclingteam Jo Piels
s.t.
122
Thomas Sprengers
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
123
Tim Vanspeybroeck
Team 3M
s.t.
124
Matthew Busche
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
125
Jesper Hansen
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
126
Mike Teunissen
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
127
Tony Hurel
Team Europcar
s.t.
128
Christophe Premont
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
129
Olivier Chevalier
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
130
Eliot Lietaer
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
131
Thomas Damuseau
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
132
Dmitriy Gruzdev
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
133
Jonathan Dufrasne
Wallonie - Bruxelles
s.t.
134
Nikias Arndt
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
135
Edward Theuns
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
136
Jens Mouris
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
137
Romain Lemarchand
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 5'59
138
Mark McNally
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
139
Christoph Pfingsten
Cyclingteam De Rijke
s.t.
140
Geert Van der Weijst
Cyclingteam Jo Piels
s.t.
141
Kieran Frend
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
142
Perrig Quemeneur
Team Europcar
s.t.
143
Yoann Bagot
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
144
Daan Olivier
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
145
Gediminas Kaupas
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
146
Robert-Jon McCarthy
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
147
Michael Valgren
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
148
Ike Groen
Cyclingteam De Rijke
s.t.
149
Marco König
Leopard Development Team
s.t.
150
Dennis Coenen
Leopard Development Team
s.t.
151
André Looij
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
152
Gilles Devillers
Veranclassic - Doltcini
s.t.
153
Corrado Lampa
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
154
Kobus Hereijgers
Cyclingteam De Rijke
s.t.
155
Jasper Hamelink
Cyclingteam Jo Piels
s.t.
156
Rens Te Stroet
Cyclingteam Jo Piels
s.t.
157
Oliver Zaugg
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
158
Tom Thill
Leopard Development Team
s.t.
159
Jimmy Janssens
Team 3M
s.t.
160
Kevin Claeys
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
161
Victor Campenaerts
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
162
Emiel Vermeulen
Team 3M
s.t.
163
Piotr Havik
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
164
Merijn Korevaar
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
165
Kevin Suarez
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
166
Stef Van Zummeren
Team 3M
s.t.
167
Svein Tuft
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
168
Floris Gerts
Rabobank Development Team
+ 7'26
169
Jesús Hernández
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
170
Sjors Roosen
Cyclingteam Jo Piels
s.t.
171
Steve Bekaert
Veranclassic - Doltcini
s.t.
172
César Bihel
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
173
Tom Goovaerts
Veranclassic - Doltcini
s.t.
174
Laurent Van den Bak
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
175
Cees Bol
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
176
Gerry Druyts
Team 3M
s.t.
177
Chad Haga
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
178
Joel Zangerle
Leopard Development Team
s.t.
179
Maxime Méderel
Team Europcar
+ 9'18
180
Gertjan De Vos
Team 3M
s.t.
181
Loïc Pestiaux
Wallonie - Bruxelles
+ 12'28
182
Damien Garcia
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
183
Wout Franssen
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
184
Stefan Poutsma
Cyclingteam Jo Piels
s.t.
185
Luboš Pelánek
Team Differdange - Losch
s.t.
186
Patrick Olesen
Leopard Development Team
s.t.
187
Romain Guillemois
Team Europcar
s.t.
188
Conor Dunne
An Post - Chain Reaction
s.t.
189
Christophe Laporte
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
190
Kevin Van Hoovels
Team 3M
s.t.
191
Dion Beukeboom
Cyclingteam De Rijke
s.t.
192
Martijn Keizer
Veranclassic - Doltcini
s.t.
193
Sam Oomen
Rabobank Development Team
s.t.
194
Christophe Sleurs
Team 3M
s.t.
195
Serge De Wortelaer
Veranclassic - Doltcini
s.t.
Mixed feelings after this opening weekend. We as a team performed well, with a 2nd place in Kuurne. I showed myself with my 12th place in the Omloop. I hope this will give me a free role for the classics later in the season, E3, Wevelgem, the Ronde?
My shoulder is still bothering me a little bit, I hope it passes soon as I start to prepare for my first World Tour event of the year: Paris - Nice!
Poor Matt. Maybe Goss would have won the race with his lead-out help, but it's more important anyway that Matt got back up on the bike without too much pain.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Tour of Oman - Stage 4 
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 
