In another first for Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung, our African team will line-up at the Tour of Oman which takes place from 17 – 22 February. The UCI 2.HC event has become a favourite season opener for cycling’s grand tour contenders like 2 time winner Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali and Joaquim Rodriguez. Froome will not defend the title he won in 2014 though.
The Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung riders that make up the Oman roster include Edvald Boasson Hagen who has twice finished 2nd overall at the Tour of Oman and picking up 2 stage wins along the way. Our new South African champion, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, and Louis Meintjes will provide our team with some good climbing options for the races queen stage which finishes up Green Mountain on stage 4. Reinardt Janse van Rensburg and Matt Goss will be the riders for the fast finishes and Jaco Venter, Serge Pauwels and Youcef Reguigui will complement the remainder of the team.
The Tour of Oman route should throw up bunch sprints on Stages 1,2,3 and 6 although a number of opportunist would like to spoil the party. Stage 4 is the queen stage finishing atop Green Mountain, it is most likely that the General Classification will be decided here but stage 5’s undulating parcours will also make for some attacking riding especially if the time gaps are still small. Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung will look to feature prominently throughout the race, particularly as the team will have a card to play on each stage.
Jacques Janse van Rensburg – Rider
Jens Zemke – Head of Performance
I see a Oman stage win on the horizon for Mtn Q. (Likely EBH, maybe Goss)