7th February – Muscat Classic: Al Mouj – Al Bustan
On the hilly course from Al Mouj to Al Bustan, both attackers and sprinters had their chances—provided they could survive the steep final climb. The last early breakaway rider was caught with 40 km to go, as our team positioned itself well ahead of the penultimate climb. After that ascent, a group of four riders broke away, while our riders stayed attentive at the front of the bunch. Over the top, multiple attacks followed, with three riders managing to slip away. However, they were reeled in inside the final kilometer, setting up a reduced bunch sprint. Pluimers proved to be the fastest, while Sean Flynn was our first finisher in 24th place.
After the race, Robbe Dhondt said: “We were really looking forward to starting the season and putting all the work we did in the winter together. As I see it, we did everything pretty well—positioning, hydration, communication… it was all on a high level. We were always present when we needed to be. As discussed before the start, I covered a lot of moves and tried to keep the overview and control, and this worked out really well because, in the end, our leaders could do their own thing, and it just came down to the legs. We didn’t get the result we wanted or deserved, but if we keep doing things like this, it will definitely come. For me personally, it was nice to do my first race as a WorldTour rider, and I’m looking forward to what’s coming.”