After dominating the sprints in the Tour Down Under, Andre Greipel continued to boss the bunch sprint with victory on stage 1 of the Tour of Oman.
The race was billed as the show down between Mark Cavendish and Greipel but a near miss in the finale meant Cavendish had to abort his sprint. On Twitter later, he said “not the best of days today. Ran off the road by Alexander Kristoff with 1200m to go. Shit happens. Well done to @AndreGreipel.”
His teammate CJ Sutton, echoed those comments saying on Twitter “Well that didn’t go to plan! Mark Cavendish got put in the dirt and one foot out. Don’t know how he held it up.@TeamSky were strong.”
Servais Knaven, director sportif for Team Sky, told he team’s website “Cav was with CJ all the time and then he got pushed out of the wheel and off onto the side of the road. He almost crashed and then after that he didn’t do the sprint. It was a bit hectic at the finish. It was flat and everyone is still fresh on the first stage. Jeremy Hunt was really strong today on the front. The stages are perfect and not too long but there are some long transfers before or after the stages. It makes the days longer but the weather is perfect so we are not complaining.”
“One difficult thing with Oman is you don’t come here many times and they change the course every year. So you cannot look back and know what it will be like. That was a little bit the case today.”
So instead of fighting off Cavendish, Greipel had others to contend with like Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha) and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) who finished second and third respectively. Galimzyanov said of his challenge “I’m satisfied with my performance  – obviously I´d rather win but I did my best: I stayed on Farrar´s wheel and started my sprint with 80 metres, I was able to pass him but I couldn’t do much more to beat Greipel. He was the fastest today, so he deserved to win: but I can be satisfied because the last km was not easy, it was a little uphill with a not so strong headwind, so not the best condition for a pure sprinter.”
The Lotto rider Greipel though had showed yet again how he and his team will be a force to be reckoned with in 2012. Having reinforced their lead out train, Lotto has seemingly very quickly become dominant in the hurly burley world of the sprint finishes.
Prior to the sprint, the peloton was racing along at 25mph behind a break of four riders including former Olympic Points champion Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha) along with Danilo Wyss (BMC), Jiao Pengda (Champion System) and Alexandre Lemair (Bridgestone-Anchor). The quartet built up a lead of over five minutes on the road to Wadi Al Hoqay but with many of the best sprinters in the world back in the peloton, the top four from the 2011 Worlds apparently, it was no surprise to see the teams of the sprinters take on the responsibility of bringing the break back.
Ignatiev though proved to be stubborn to the end and attacked his breakaway companions to go solo and managed to hold the bunch off into the final 10 kilometres. Team Sky, Lotto and the other teams then went head to head and while Cavendish had to abort his sprint, none of the other Sky team were able to put up a fight.
Winner in Qatar of stages and the overall, Tom Boonen meanwhile, was on domestique duty, working for teammate Steegmans who failed to hold onto Boonen’s rear wheel in the last 500 metres and the Quickstep team were not to be celebrating another victory as they in Qatar.
A day out front for BMC - Danilo Wyss of the BMC Racing Team was one of the four who figured in the breakaway of the day and was away for 150 km. Sayers said there was no chance for the breakaway to succeed because many sprinter’s teams were chasing hard behind. “Team Sky rode ahead of the pack, with Garmin-Barracuda and then we had pressure from Lotto-Belisol and from GreenEdge,” Sayers said.  “It was good for Danilo to be in the break today and the main thing is that everyone stayed safe. ”
Stage Result
1 Andre Greipel Lotto – Belisol Team 03:26:09
2 Denis Galimzyanov Katusha Team @ same time
3 Tyler Farrar Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
4 Marcel Kittel 1t4i @ same time
5 Peter Sagan Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
6 Nacer Bouhanni Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
7 Daniel Oss Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
8 Andrea Guardini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
9 Tony Gallopin RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
10 Matthew Goss GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
11 Graeme Brown Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
12 Christopher Sutton Sky Procycling @ same time
13 Tom Boonen Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
14 Gorik Gardeyn Champion System @ same time
15 Laurens Ten Dam Rabobank Cycling Team 00:03
16 Matthias Friedemann Champion System @ same time
17 Yaroslav Popovych RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
18 Taylor Phinney BMC Racing Team @ same time
19 Jakob Fuglsang RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
20 Vladimir Gusev Katusha Team @ same time
21 Thomas Bonnin 1t4i @ same time
22 Fabian Cancellara RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
23 Koen De Kort 1t4i @ same time
24 Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
25 Johan Vansummeren Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
26 Miyataka Shimizu Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
27 Arnold Jeannesson Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
28 Kevin Hulsmans Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
29 Hayato Yoshida Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
30 Matthieu Ladagnous Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
31 Joost Posthuma RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
32 Kazuo Inoue Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
33 Maarten Tjallingii Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
34 Tom Jelte Slagter Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
35 Alessandro Ballan BMC Racing Team @ same time
36 Andy Schleck RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
37 Gregory Henderson Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
38 Sylvain Chavanel Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
39 David Mc Cann RTS Racing Team @ same time
40 Robert Hunter Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
41 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver Katusha Team @ same time
42 Gregory Rast RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
43 Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
44 David Boucher Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
45 Murilo Antonio Fischer Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
46 Vladimir Isaychev Katusha Team @ same time
47 Klaas Sys Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
48 Gabriel Rasch Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
49 Ramon Sinkeldam 1t4i @ same time
50 Martin Kohler BMC Racing Team @ same time
51 Dennis Van Winden Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
52 Danilo Wyss BMC Racing Team @ same time
53 Chris Butler Champion System @ same time
54 Gert Steegmans Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
55 Peter Velits Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
56 Robert Wagner RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
57 Mathew Hayman Sky Procycling @ same time
58 Christian Vande Velde Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
59 Sandy Casar Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
60 David Millar Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
61 Mauro Da Dalto Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
62 Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team @ same time
63 Mart Ojavee Champion System @ same time
64 Pier Paolo De Negri Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
65 Marco Pinotti BMC Racing Team @ same time
66 Dominique Rollin Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
67 Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling @ same time
68 Maarten Wynants Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
69 Adam Blythe BMC Racing Team @ same time
70 Wei Kei Chang RTS Racing Team @ same time
71 Aleksandr Kuschynski Katusha Team @ same time
72 Jai Crawford RTS Racing Team @ same time
73 Xu Gang Champion System @ same time
74 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
75 Roy Curvers 1t4i @ same time
76 Lee Rodgers RTS Racing Team @ same time
77 Luca Ascani Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
78 Alexandre Lemair Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
79 William Bonnet Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
80 Frederik Willems Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
81 Maciej Bodnar Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
82 Christiano Benenati Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
83 Lars Ytting Bak Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
84 Michael Schar BMC Racing Team @ same time
85 Mikhail Ignatyev Katusha Team @ same time
86 Frantisek Rabon Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
87 Klaas Lodewyck BMC Racing Team @ same time
88 Alex Coutts RTS Racing Team @ same time
89 Bert Grabsch Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
90 Alexander Kristoff Katusha Team @ same time
91 Rüdiger Selig Katusha Team @ same time
92 Ryota Nishizono Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
93 Albert Timmer 1t4i @ same time
94 Alessandro Vanotti Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
95 Thomas Bertolini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
96 Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
97 Tobias Ludvigsson 1t4i @ same time
98 Oscar Gatto Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
99 Allan Davis GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
100 Ramunas Navardauskas Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
101 Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team @ same time
102 Davide Appollonio Sky Procycling @ same time
103 Alex Rasmussen Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
104 Luke Rowe Sky Procycling @ same time
105 Baden Cooke GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
106 Svein Tuft GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
107 Stuart O’ Grady GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
108 Clinton Avery Champion System @ same time
109 Aidis Kruopis GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
110 Diego Caccia Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
111 Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling @ same time
112 Ian Stannard Sky Procycling @ same time
113 Alan Marangoni Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
114 Pengda Jiao Champion System @ same time
115 Marcel Sieberg Lotto – Belisol Team 00:27
116 Fabio Sabatini Liquigas – Cannondale 00:29
117 Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling 00:32
118 Adam Hansen Lotto – Belisol Team 00:40
119 Jens Debusschere Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
120 Stijn Vandenbergh Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:46
121 Jens Mouris GreenEdge Cycling Team 00:56
122 Dominik Klemme 1t4i 01:31
123 Jonas Van Genechten Lotto – Belisol Team 02:16
124 William Clarke Champion System @ same time
125 Sergey Kudentsov RTS Racing Team 09:37
126 Coen Vermeltfoort Rabobank Cycling Team 10:37
127 Sebastian Langeveld GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
Overall
1 Andre Greipel Lotto – Belisol Team 03:25:59
2 Denis Galimzyanov Katusha Team 00:04
3 Tyler Farrar Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:06
4 Alexandre Lemair Team Bridgestone – Anchor 00:08
5 Mikhail Ignatyev Katusha Team 00:09
6 Marcel Kittel 1t4i 00:10
7 Peter Sagan Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
8 Nacer Bouhanni Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
9 Daniel Oss Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
10 Andrea Guardini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
11 Tony Gallopin RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
12 Matthew Goss GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
13 Graeme Brown Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
14 Christopher Sutton Sky Procycling @ same time
15 Tom Boonen Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
16 Gorik Gardeyn Champion System @ same time
17 Danilo Wyss BMC Racing Team @ same time
18 Laurens Ten Dam Rabobank Cycling Team 00:13
19 Matthias Friedemann Champion System @ same time
20 Yaroslav Popovych RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
21 Taylor Phinney BMC Racing Team @ same time
22 Jakob Fuglsang RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
23 Vladimir Gusev Katusha Team @ same time
24 Thomas Bonnin 1t4i @ same time
25 Fabian Cancellara RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
26 Koen De Kort 1t4i @ same time
27 Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
28 Johan Vansummeren Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
29 Miyataka Shimizu Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
30 Arnold Jeannesson Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
31 Kevin Hulsmans Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
32 Hayato Yoshida Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
33 Matthieu Ladagnous Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
34 Joost Posthuma RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
35 Kazuo Inoue Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
36 Maarten Tjallingii Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
37 Tom Jelte Slagter Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
38 Alessandro Ballan BMC Racing Team @ same time
39 Andy Schleck RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
40 Gregory Henderson Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
41 Sylvain Chavanel Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
42 David Mc Cann RTS Racing Team @ same time
43 Robert Hunter Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
44 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver Katusha Team @ same time
45 Gregory Rast RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
46 Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
47 David Boucher Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
48 Murilo Antonio Fischer Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
49 Vladimir Isaychev Katusha Team @ same time
50 Klaas Sys Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
51 Gabriel Rasch Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
52 Ramon Sinkeldam 1t4i @ same time
53 Martin Kohler BMC Racing Team @ same time
54 Dennis Van Winden Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
55 Chris Butler Champion System @ same time
56 Gert Steegmans Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
57 Peter Velits Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
58 Robert Wagner RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
59 Mathew Hayman Sky Procycling @ same time
60 Christian Vande Velde Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
61 Sandy Casar Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
62 David Millar Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
63 Mauro Da Dalto Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
64 Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team @ same time
65 Mart Ojavee Champion System @ same time
66 Pier Paolo De Negri Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
67 Marco Pinotti BMC Racing Team @ same time
68 Dominique Rollin Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
69 Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling @ same time
70 Maarten Wynants Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
71 Adam Blythe BMC Racing Team @ same time
72 Wei Kei Chang RTS Racing Team @ same time
73 Aleksandr Kuschynski Katusha Team @ same time
74 Jai Crawford RTS Racing Team @ same time
75 Xu Gang Champion System @ same time
76 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
77 Roy Curvers 1t4i @ same time
78 Lee Rodgers RTS Racing Team @ same time
79 Luca Ascani Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
80 William Bonnet Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
81 Frederik Willems Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
82 Maciej Bodnar Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
83 Christiano Benenati Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
84 Lars Ytting Bak Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
85 Michael Schar BMC Racing Team @ same time
86 Frantisek Rabon Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
87 Klaas Lodewyck BMC Racing Team @ same time
88 Alex Coutts RTS Racing Team @ same time
89 Bert Grabsch Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
90 Alexander Kristoff Katusha Team @ same time
91 Rüdiger Selig Katusha Team @ same time
92 Ryota Nishizono Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
93 Albert Timmer 1t4i @ same time
94 Alessandro Vanotti Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
95 Thomas Bertolini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
96 Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
97 Tobias Ludvigsson 1t4i @ same time
98 Oscar Gatto Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
99 Allan Davis GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
100 Ramunas Navardauskas Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
101 Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team @ same time
102 Davide Appollonio Sky Procycling @ same time
103 Alex Rasmussen Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
104 Luke Rowe Sky Procycling @ same time
105 Baden Cooke GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
106 Svein Tuft GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
107 Stuart O’ Grady GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
108 Clinton Avery Champion System @ same time
109 Aidis Kruopis GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
110 Diego Caccia Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
111 Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling @ same time
112 Ian Stannard Sky Procycling @ same time
113 Alan Marangoni Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
114 Pengda Jiao Champion System @ same time
115 Marcel Sieberg Lotto – Belisol Team 00:37
116 Fabio Sabatini Liquigas – Cannondale 00:39
117 Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling 00:42
118 Adam Hansen Lotto – Belisol Team 00:50
119 Jens Debusschere Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
120 Stijn Vandenbergh Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:56
121 Jens Mouris GreenEdge Cycling Team 01:06
122 Dominik Klemme 1t4i 01:41
123 Jonas Van Genechten Lotto – Belisol Team 02:26
124 William Clarke Champion System @ same time
125 Sergey Kudentsov RTS Racing Team 09:47
126 Coen Vermeltfoort Rabobank Cycling Team 10:47
127 Sebastian Langeveld GreenEdge
Points Classifcation (Green Jersey):
1. GREIPEL Andre – Lotto Belisol Team
Young Rider Classification (White Jersey):-
1. GALIMZYANOV Denis – Katusha Team
Most Aggressive Rider Classification
1. LEMAIR Alexandre – Bridgestone Anchor