Miguel Angel Lopez wins Stage 5 of the Tour of Oman 2018
Today was always going to be a deciding factor of the Tour of Oman 2018. The summit finish on Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) is a defining feature of the desert stage race and this year it was the Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) who crossed the line first. He was accompanied by his comrade Andrey Lutsenko, who is the new leader of the race after stage 5.
Third place, arrived a significant 12 seconds after the winner, went to the Spaniard Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), who fought hard in the final kilometres to catch Gorka Izagirre of Bahrain-Merida. A group of six made up the chasers; Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin), Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo), Daniel Pearson (Aqua Blue Sport), Dries Devenyns (Quick Step Floors), Nicolas Roche (BMC) and Rui Costa (UAE Emirates).
Today’s breakaway squad performed well. Marco Marcato (UAE Team Emirates), Benjamin Declercq (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Pim Ligthart (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij), Nicholas Schultz (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Robin Carpenter and Adam De Vos (Rally Cycling ) held a steady gap throughout the stage but were taken a few kilometers from the finish line. Marcato and Carpenter were the last to surrender to the chasers at just three kilometers from the finish.
Astana and Bahrain-Merida set the pace for the duration of the climb, but the Vinokourov’s team showed their clear superiority on the final straight. Lutsenko, Miguel Angel Lopez working together to drop Gorka Izagirre, the last remaining opponent of the day.
Stage 5 Results
- Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana)
- Alexey Lustenko (Astana)
- Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) + 12
- Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain Merida) + 15
- Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin) + 22
- Peter Stetina + 25
- Daniel Pearson (Aqua Blue Sport) + 33
- Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors) + 43
- Nicolas Roche (BMC) + 47
- Rui Costa (Emirates) + 49
General Classification after Stage 5
- Alexey Lustenko (Astana)
- Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) + 11
- Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain Merida) + 28
- Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) + 30
- Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin) + 32
- Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors) + 1’05
- Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) + 1’14
- Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty – Groupe Gobert) + 1’24
- Merhawi Kudus (Dimension Data) +1’29
- Rui Costa (Emirates) + 1’37