Tour of Oman guide

The build-up to the 2014 Tour de France gets under way in earnest as a selection of the world's best general classification riders head to the Middle East for the fifth instalment of the Tour of Oman (February 18-23).

Stage 2: Wednesday, February 19 - Al Bustan to Quriyat - 139km | Report | Gallery Result 1 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha, 3:12:01
2 Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge, same time
3 Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, st
4 Robert Forster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare, st
5 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ, st
6 Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, st
7 Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, st
8 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC, st
9 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, st
10 Sam Bennett (Ire) NetApp-Endura, st General classification 1 Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge, 7:15:20
2 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha, +2secs
3 Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol, same time
4 Preben van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, st
5 Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, +8
6 Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, st
7 Paolo Colonna (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, st
8 Nicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, +9
9 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Belisol, +11
10 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek Factory Racing, st Stage 3: Thursday, February 20 - Bank Muscat to Al Bustan - 145km | Report | Gallery Result 1 Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol, 3:29:08
2 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale, same time
3 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ, st
4 Ben Swift (GB) Team Sky, st
5 Marco Canola (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, st
6 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, st
7 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana, st
8 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) NetApp-Endura, st
9 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, st
10 Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, st
Selected other
43 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, st General classification 1 Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol, 10:44:20
2 Leigh Howard (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge, +8secs
3 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha, +10
4 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale, +14
5 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ, +16
6 Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, same time
7 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Belisol, +19
8 Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare, st
9 Ben Swift (GB) Team Sky, +20
10 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo, st
Selected other
20 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, st Stage 4: Friday, February 21 - Wadi al Abiyad to Ministry of Housing - 173km | Report | Gallery Result 1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale, 4:02:20
2 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, same time
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana, +2secs
4 Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge, st
5 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Belisol, st
6 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha, st
7 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana, st
8 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, st
9 Thomas Lofkvist (Swe) IAM Cycling, st
10 Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale, st
Selected other
11 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, st General classification 1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale, 14:46:44
2 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, +10secs
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana, +14
4 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Belisol, +17
5 Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge, +18
6 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana, st
7 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo, st
8 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, st
9 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC, st
10 Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin, st Stage 5: Saturday, February 22 - BidBid to Jabal al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) - 147.5km | Report | Gallery Result 1 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, 3:49:53
2 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC, +22secs
3 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, +33
4 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha, +38
5 Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin, +47
6 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale, +51
7 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ, +56
8 Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale, +59
9 Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky, +1:09
10 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo, +1:15
Selected other
16 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana, +1:45 General classification 1 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, 18:36:45
2 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC, +26secs
3 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, +31
4 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha, +48
5 Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin, +57
6 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale, +1:01
7 Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky, +1:19
8 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo, +1:25
9 Johann Tschopp (Swi) IAM Cycling, +1:32
10 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha, +1:34
Selected other
12 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana, +1:51 Stage 6: Sunday, February 23 - As Sifah to Matrah Corniche - 146.5km | Report | Gallery Result 1 Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol, 3:25:41
2 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ, same time
3 Sam Bennett (Ire) NetApp-Endura, st
4 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha, st
5 Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo, st
6 Filippo Fortin (Ita) Bardiani-CSF, st
7 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, st
8 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-GreenEdge, st
9 Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana, st
10 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale, st Final general classification 1 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, 22:02:26
2 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC, +26secs
3 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, +31
4 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha, +48
5 Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin, +57
6 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale, +1:01
7 Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky, +1:19
8 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo, +1:25
9 Johann Tschopp (Swi) IAM Cycling, +1:32
10 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Katusha, +1:34

The favourites

Chris Froome claimed overall victory in last year's race and will be the favourite to retain his crown. Vincenzo Nibali and Joaquim Rodriguez have already raced this year and could well have superior race sharpness.

Brit watch

Chris Froome (Team Sky), Ben Swift (Team Sky)

Key stage

Stage five's summit finish on the Green Mountain should decide the overall outcome of the race. The first man to the top could well be crowned race winner the next day.

The jerseys

- Red: General classification.
- Green: Points classification.
- White: Best young rider.
- Red and green: Most aggressive rider.

Points and time bonuses

- 15, 12, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point will be awarded to the first ten finishers on each stage.
- 3, 2 and 1 point will be awarded to the first three riders over the line at intermediate sprints. - 10, 6 and 4 bonus seconds will be awarded to the first three finishers on each stage.
- 3, 2 and 1 second will be awarded to the first three riders over the line at intermediate sprints.

Teams and riders

WorldTour Ag2r-La Mondiale: Romain Bardet (Fra), Steve Chainel (Fra), Damien Gaudin (Fra), Sebastien Minard (Fra), Blel Kadri (Fra), Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita), Christophe Riblon (Fra), Sebastien Turgot (Fra). Astana: Vincenzo Nibali (Ita), Valerio Agnoli (Ita), Borut Bozic (Slo), Francesco Gavazzi (Ita), Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kas) Evan Huffman (USA), Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz), Lieuwe Westra (Ned). Belkin: Robert Gesink (Ned), Jetse Bol (Ned), Lars Boom (Ned), Stef Clement (Ned), Barry Markus (Ned), Maarten Tjallingii (Ned), Jos van Emden (Ned), Robert Wagner (Ger). BMC: Philippe Gilbert (Bel), Marcus Burghardt (Ger), Martin Kohler (Swi) Dominik Nerz (Ger), Michaerl Schar (Swi), Greg van Avermaet (Bel), Tejay van Garderen (USA), Peter Velits (Svk). Cannondale: Peter Sagan (Svk), Alessandro de Marchi (Ita), Oscar Gatto (Ita), Michel Koch (Ger), Kristjan Koren (Slo), Paolo Longo (Ita), Alan Marangoni (Ita), Moreno Moser (Ita). FDJ: Thibaut Pinot (Fra), William Bonnet (Fra), David Boucher (Bel), Nacer Bouhanni (Fra), Sebastien Chavanel (Fra), Kenny Elissonde (Fra), Murilo Fischer (Bra), Arnold Jeannesson (Fra). Katusha: Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa), Vladimir Isaychev (Rus), Alexander Kristoff (Nor), Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr), Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus), Daniel Moreno (Spa), Rudiger Selig (Ger), Gatis Smukulis (Lat). Lotto-Belisol: Jurgen van den Broeck (Bel), Lars Bak (Den), Gert Dockx (Bel), Tony Gallopin (Fra), Andre Greipel (Ger), Pim Ligthart (Ned), Jurgen Roelandts (BEl), Marcel Sieberg (Ger). Omega Pharma - Quick-Step: Tom Boonen (Bel), Gert Steegmans (Bel), Zdenek Stybar (Cze), Niki Terpstra (Ned), Matteo Trentin (Ita), Rigoberto Uran (Col), Guillaume van Keirsbulck (Bel), Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel). Orica-GreenEdge: Daryl Impey (RSA), Michael Albasini (Swi), Michael Hepburn (Aus), Leigh Howard (Aus), Jens Keukeleire (Bel), Cameron Meyer (Aus), Jens Mouris (Ned), Ivan Santaromita (Ita). Team Sky: Chris Froome (GB), Dario Cataldo (Ita), Sergio Henao (Col), David Lopez (Spa), Mikel Nieve (Spa), Danny Pate (USA), Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr), Ben Swift (GB). Tinkoff-Saxo: Roman Kreuziger (Cze), Daniele Bennati (Itya), Maunele Moaro (Ita), Matti Breschel (Den), Karsten Kroon (Ned), Michael Morkov (DEn), Nicolas Roche (Ire), Christopher Juul-Jenson (Den). Trek: Fabian Cancellara (Swi), Stijn Devolder (Bel), Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr), Gregory Rast (Swi), Hayden Roulston (NZ), Andy Schleck (Lux), Frank Schleck (Lux), Jesse Sergent (NZ). Pro Continental Bardiani-CSF: Filippo Fortin (Ita), Andrea Manfredi (Ita), Nicola Ruffoni (Ita), Stefano Locatelli (Ita), Marco Canola (Ita), Paolo Colonna (Ita), Enrico Battaglin (Ita), Nicola Boem (Ita). IAM Cycling: Marcel Aregger (Swi), Martin Elmiger (Swi), Mathias Frank (Swi), Heinrich Haussler (Aus), Sebastien Hinault (Fra), Kevyn Ista (BEl), Thomas Lofkvist (Swe), Johann Tschopp (Swi). NetApp-Endura: Leopold Konig (Cze), Cesare Benedetti (Ita), David de la Cruz (Spa), Bartosz Huzarski (Pol), Frantisek Padour (Cze), Zakkari Dempster (Aus), Sam Bennett (Aus), Andreas Schillinger (Ger). Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise: Pieter Jacobs (Bel), Thomas Sprengers (Bel), Preben van Hecke (Bel), Michael van Staeyen (Bel), Arthur van Overberghe (Bel), Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel), Zico Waeytens (Bel), Jelle Wallays (Bel). UnitedHealthcare: Alessandro Bazzana (Ita), Marc de Maar (Cur), Lucas Euser (USA), Robert Forster (Ger), Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo), Martijn Maaskant (Ned), John Murphy (USA), Kiel Reijnen (USA).