Gallery: Canadians bring the heat at Tour of Oman
Rally UHC and Hugo Houle with Astana thrive in Oman's desert stage race
Winter may still be going strong back at home, but a group of Canadian pros spent their week more worried about sunburns than snowstorms while racing the Tour of Oman.
RELATED: Houle riding wave of positivity at Astana and at Cycling Canada
Hugo Houle had a fantastic week at the UCI 2.HC stage race in Oman, supporting his Astana teammate and race winner Alexey Lutsenko. The Canadian is riding strong with the substantial momentum at Astana’s incredible February results. This should help him when he starts the first race of classics season, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this Saturday, March 2.
RELATED: How to watch Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Rally UHC was also enjoying the sun in the desert. Pier-André Coté, Adam de Vos and Rob Britton represented Canada on the squad. All three played a crucial role in delivering American teammate Brandon McNulty to a 9th place overall finish at the Tour of Oman.
Britton used his extensive experience to pace McNulty up Green Mountain on the fifth, and penultimate day of racing. De Vos escaped in a small group of three on Stage 6, while Coté helped the American regain contact with the peloton after a mid-stage crash, defending his top-10 GC position.
2019 Tour of Oman - Stage 1 - Al Sawadi bneach - Suhar Corniche. Image: Pauline Ballet / ASO
Adam de Vos after Stage 2 of 2019 Tour of Oman from Royal Cavalry Oman to Al Bustan. Credit: ASO/Kåre Dehlie Thorstad
Hugo Houle on Stage 3 of the Tour of Oman from Shati Al Qurum - Qurayyat. Image: Pauline Ballet / ASO
Rob Britton delivers water to Rally UHC's lead rider Brandon McNulty on Stage 3 of Tour of Oman. Shati Al Qurum - Qurayyat. Image: Pauline Ballet / ASO
The peloton winds its way upwardson Stage 3 of the 2019 Tour of Oman from Shati Al Qurum to Qurayyat. Image: Pauline Ballet / ASO
Hugo Houle (AST) and Ryan Gibbons (TDD) await the start of Stage 4 of 2019 Tour of Oman - Yiti (Al Sifah) to Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. Image: Pauline Ballet / ASO
Tour of Oman may take place in the desert, but there's plenty of elevation change - Stage 4: Yiti (Al Sifah) to Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. Image: Pauline Ballet / ASO
Rob Britton was crucial to Brandon McNulty's success on the pivotal climb up Jabal Al Akhdar (Green Mountain) on Stage 5, the Queen stage of Tour of Oman. Credit: ASO/Kåre Dehlie Thorstad
Pier-André Coté at the Tour of Oman. Credit: ASO/Kåre Dehlie Thorstad
Adam de Vos attacking the breakaway on Stage 6 of Tour of Oman from Al Mouj Muscat to Matrah Corniche. Credit: ASO/Kåre Dehlie Thorstad
The peloton follows behind de Vos' trio on Stage 6, Al Mouj Muscat - Matrah Corniche. Image: Pauline Ballet / ASO
Adam de Vos once again found himself up the road ahead of the peloton. The trio would be caught before the end of the stage, but McNulty's GC position preserved. Credit: ASO/Kåre Dehlie Thorstad
