Home > News

Ben Hermans best on Tour of Oman’s Stage 2

BMC's Belgian outduels Costa and Fuglsang to take race lead

BMC’s Belgian Ben Hermans continues to impress in 2017, taking the lead of the Tour of Oman with a win on Wednesday’s hilly second stage only ten days after finishing runner-up to Nairo Quintana in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. Hermans nipped Rui Costa and Jakob Fuglsang for the victory, and pulled the red leader’s jersey from Alexander Kristoff’s shoulders.

The riders had four classified climbs in 142-km to tackle, with three in the final 40-km including Al Jissah that peaked 5-km from the finish in Al Bustan.


Even with frantic attempts, no breakaway was able to go clear in the first 25-km due to the downhill start. An armada of 15-riders including Fuglsang (Denmark/Astana) pulled clear and topped the first climb of Fanja with Eros Capecchi taking the most KOM points.

The move was neutralized and then a less threatening duo scooted away, with Preben Van Hecke (Belgium/Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) first through the first intermediate sprint. At 72-km mark, the twosome’s lead was 7:55.


Mark Christian (Great Britain/Aqua Blue Sport) was first over the climb of Bousher Al Amerat but the fugitives would just make it over the penultimate climb in the lead before absorption.

The final climb was short at 1.4-km but a steep 9%. A reduced peloton made the approach and another Aqua Blue Sport rider, Dane Lasse Norman Hansen, attacked with UnitedHealthcare’s Daniel Eaton (USA). This new duo nipped up and over the Al Jissah ascent and held a 12-second lead with 3-km to go.

But BMC shut them down and then it was time for the fractured peloton to fight it out for the win. Hermans pulled clear of Costa and Fuglsang and seized the lead with the win.

Top Canadian was Alexander Cataford of UnitedHealthcare at 47th. His squad has four riders in the GC top-44.

Thursday’s stage is another hilly one, with a finishing climb up to Quiyirat.

2017 Tour of Oman Stage 2
1) Ben Hermans (Belgium/BMC) 3:20:49
2) Rui Costa (Portugal/UAE-Abu Dhabi) s.t.
3) Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark/Astana) s.t.
47) Alexander Cataford (Canada/UnitedHealthcare) +1:43
84) Hugo Houle (Canada/AG2R) +4:23

2017 Tour of Oman GC
1) Ben Hermans (Belgium/BMC) 7:07:08
2) Rui Costa (Portugal/UAE-Abu Dhabi) +0:04
3) Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark/Astana) +0:06
44) Alexander Cataford (Canada/UnitedHealthcare) +1:53
96) Hugo Houle (Canada/AG2R) +8:36