2012 Tour of Oman
The 3rd Tour of Oman (English Tour of Oman ) was a cycling race in Oman, which took place from 14th to 19th February 2012. It was played in six stages over a total distance of 875 kilometers. The stage race was part of the UCI Asia Tour 2012 and classified there in the 2.HC category.
The Slovakian Peter Velits of Omega Pharma- Quick Step secured a slender advantage to the Italian Vincenzo Nibali Vuelta winner (Liquigas -Cannondale ) and the French Tony Gallopin ( RadioShack - Nissan) the overall victory.
Participant
A total of eleven ProTeam were invited by the organizing Amaury Sport Organisation. In addition, three Professional Continental teams and two Asian Continental teams participated. Had all the participating teams, like last year, a few days before participating in the Tour of Qatar. Eight German, five Swiss and an Austrian were nominated.
Stages and race course
The first three days went sections without major topographical difficulties near the Gulf of Oman. The mass sprint of the first stage was won by German Andre Greipel ( Lotto Belisol Team ) won on the second stage Peter Sagan (Liquigas -Cannondale ), who thus took over the red jersey of the overall leader. At the third stage, there was a German double victory, Marcel Kittel ( Project 1t4i ) won in a bunch sprint again before Andre Greipel, who could take over the overall lead of Peter Sagan through his second place. The hilly fourth stage was again André Greipel decide for himself who was thus able to defend his red jersey successful.
The preliminary decision for the overall victory fell on the fifth stage, like up in the previous year led to the interior of the " Green Mountain ", which was 5.8 km long and an average of 10.3% steep. Italian Vincenzo Nibali The (Liquigas -Cannondale ) won at the same time ahead of Slovakian Peter Velits ( Omega Pharma- Quick Step), who took the lead through his second place in the overall standings with a lead of one second to Nibali. All attacks Nibalis on the flat final stage on which Marcel Kittel celebrates his second stage win, were unsuccessful, so was able to win the Tour of Peter Velits with a narrow margin.