This time, there was no danger of taking the wrong direction. Bob Jungels was denied a stage win at the recent Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana when he followed a race motorbike down a diversion in the finale, but careful reconnaissance would pay rich dividends for the Luxembourg champion on the opening stage of the Tour of Oman in Al Bustan.
The finale featured the stiff climb of Al Jissah just five kilometres from the line, though on a training ride with his Etixx-QuickStep teammates on Monday, Jungels’ eye was drawn more to the rapid, sweeping descent that followed. On returning to the race hotel, he made it his business to seek out a mechanic and request a 55-tooth chainring.
After first BMC and then Astana splintered the peloton on the final climb on Tuesday, Jungels shifted into the big ring on the way down and simply took flight, coming home six seconds clear of Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data) and a further two ahead of a rather elite chasing group to claim stage honours and the first leader’s jersey of the race.
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“We did the recon yesterday and I felt that I had good legs up here. It’s a climb that suits me as well, it’s not too steep and Astana set a good pace,” Jungels said as he waited for the podium ceremony to begin. “For the downhill, I told the mechanics to put a 55-tooth on the front because I planned this attack for two days, even longer. I’m happy with it.
“I knew that the legs were good. I saw it in Valencia last week actually but I missed the road a little bit there, but it was a similar style of race today.”
Jungels’ teammate Dan Martin was part of the 16-man leading group that formed over the top of Al Jissah, and he had a ringside seat for his companion’s attack. He shook his head at the memory of Jungels’ daring attack as he soft-pedalled over the brow of the finishing hill towards his team car.
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