The third stage of the Tour of Oman saw Marcel Kittell bring his teams first win of 2012 ahead of race leader Andre Geipel.
The 144.5 kilometre ride from Al Alwabi finished in the expected bunch sprint, and the time bonus Greipel earned for second put him back into the red leader’s jersey, which had been on the shoulders of Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) during the stage.
Team Sky riders Chris Sutton and Mathew Hayman were also part of the 64-strong group of riders which were credited with the same time as the winner.
In the overall standings, Sutton remains the highest-placed Team Sky rider in seventh but was today working on a lead-out for Cavendish.
“It was pretty scrappy in the last 15k. It went from a big wide open highway with two lanes and went a bit narrow with under 10k to go,” Sutton said.
“I was just trying to keep Cav out of trouble. It was all going perfect. We got lost a couple of times but I was trying to stay with Cav. You have a plan and you try to execute it but sometimes it doesn’t always go to plan.”
“It was a pretty comfortable ride for us all day up until then. We rode from the start with Ian Stannard and we pretty much controlled and set tempo all day. ‘Yogi’ (Ian Stannard) was on the front riding like 10 men.
Early on a four-man breakaway – made up of William Clarke (Champion System) Vladimir Isaychev (Katusha), Alexandre Lemair (Bridgestone Anchor) and Kevin Hulsmans (Farnese Vini) – was formed.
Team Sky director sportif Servais Knaven said afterwards: “It was not a fast day and it was hard with the headwind. That made it hard chasing the breakaway and the guys riding on the front. It the end it dragged up a few times so it was not an easy stage. On the profile it looked much easier.
“The guys were a bit disappointed at the finish but they were there at the point we wanted. It was chaotic on the lead-in to the roundabout and we were maybe missing a bit of luck after Jeremy [Hunt] punctured. But the guys are ready for it and they are strong. We’ll stay focused and motivated and try again.”
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1  Marcel Kittel 1t4i 03:23:00
2  Andre Greipel Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
3  Nacer Bouhanni Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
4  Tyler Farrar Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
5  Peter Sagan Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
6  Tom Boonen Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
7  Andrea Guardini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
8  Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling @ same time
9  Graeme Brown Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
10  Ramunas Navardauskas Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
11  Denis Galimzyanov Katusha Team @ same time
12  Gert Steegmans Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
13  Adam Blythe BMC Racing Team @ same time
14  Koen De Kort 1t4i @ same time
15  Roy Curvers 1t4i @ same time
16  Gorik Gardeyn Champion System @ same time
17  Matthew Goss GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
18  Taylor Phinney BMC Racing Team @ same time
19  Allan Davis GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
20  Sylvain Chavanel Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
21  Ramon Sinkeldam 1t4i @ same time
22  Guillaume Van Keirsbulck Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
23  Arnold Jeannesson Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
24  David Boucher Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
25  Matthieu Ladagnous Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
26  Vladimir Gusev Katusha Team @ same time
27  Hayato Yoshida Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
28  Jakob Fuglsang RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
29  Dennis Van Winden Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
30  Yaroslav Popovych RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
31  Michael Schar BMC Racing Team @ same time
32  Miyataka Shimizu Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
33  Daniel Oss Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
34  Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
35  William Bonnet Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
36  Peter Velits Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
37  Fabio Sabatini Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
38  Klaas Lodewyck BMC Racing Team @ same time
39  Christopher Sutton Sky Procycling @ same time
40  Maarten Tjallingii Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
41  Alessandro Ballan BMC Racing Team @ same time
42  Tom Jelte Slagter Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
43  Fabian Cancellara RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
44  Tony Gallopin RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
45  Laurens Ten Dam Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
46  Maarten Wynants Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
47  Mathew Hayman Sky Procycling @ same time
48  Gregory Rast RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
49  Lars Ytting Bak Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
50  Danilo Wyss BMC Racing Team @ same time
51  Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
52  Mauro Da Dalto Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
53  Gregory Henderson Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
54  Baden Cooke GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
55  Johan Vansummeren Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
56  Sandy Casar Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
57  Luca Ascani Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
58  Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver Katusha Team @ same time
59  Andy Schleck RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
60  Stijn Vandenbergh Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
61  Alexander Kristoff Katusha Team @ same time
62  Robert Wagner RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
63  Jens Debusschere Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
64  Rüdiger Selig Katusha Team @ same time
65  Marco Pinotti BMC Racing Team 00:08
66  Robert Hunter Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
67  Stuart O’ Grady GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
68  Frantisek Rabon Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
69  Aleksandr Kuschynski Katusha Team @ same time
70  Martin Kohler BMC Racing Team @ same time
71  Maciej Bodnar Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
72  Joost Posthuma RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
73  David Mc Cann RTS Racing Team @ same time
74  Thomas Bonnin 1t4i @ same time
75  Matthias Friedemann Champion System @ same time
76  Christiano Benenati Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
77  Marcel Sieberg Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
78  Pengda Jiao Champion System 00:26
79  Clinton Avery Champion System @ same time
80  Adam Hansen Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
81  Christian Vande Velde Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
82  Alan Marangoni Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
83  Jai Crawford RTS Racing Team @ same time
84  Kazuo Inoue Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
85  Svein Tuft GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
86  Pier Paolo De Negri Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 00:30
87  Alex Coutts RTS Racing Team @ same time
88  Ryota Nishizono Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
89  Aidis Kruopis GreenEdge Cycling Team 00:32
90  Tom Leezer Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
91  Murilo Antonio Fischer Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:34
92  Chris Butler Champion System 00:38
93  David Millar Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
94  Xu Gang Champion System @ same time
95  Bert Grabsch Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
96  Coen Vermeltfoort Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
97  Mikhail Ignatyev Katusha Team @ same time
98  Frederik Willems Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
99  Tobias Ludvigsson 1t4i @ same time
100  Lee Rodgers RTS Racing Team @ same time
101  Diego Caccia Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
102  Alessandro Vanotti Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
103  Ian Stannard Sky Procycling @ same time
104  Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling @ same time
105  Wei Kei Chang RTS Racing Team 00:50
106  Vladimir Isaychev Katusha Team 01:03
107  Albert Timmer 1t4i @ same time
108  Alex Rasmussen Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
109  Jens Mouris GreenEdge Cycling Team 01:05
110  Mart Ojavee Champion System @ same time
111  Thomas Bertolini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
112  Luke Rowe Sky Procycling @ same time
113  Oscar Gatto Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 01:13
114  Dominique Rollin Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 01:18
115  Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling @ same time
116  Gabriel Rasch Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
117  Davide Appollonio Sky Procycling @ same time
118  Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team 01:47
119  Klaas Sys Team Bridgestone – Anchor 02:16
120  Sebastian Langeveld GreenEdge Cycling Team 02:24
121  Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team @ same time
122  Sergey Kudentsov RTS Racing Team @ same time
123  Dominik Klemme 1t4i @ same time
124  Jonas Van Genechten Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
125  William Clarke Champion System 03:02
126  Alexandre Lemair Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
127  Kevin Hulsmans Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 03:18
Overall after stage 3
1  Andre Greipel Lotto – Belisol Team 09:59:41
2  Peter Sagan Liquigas – Cannondale 00:02
3  Nacer Bouhanni Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 00:08
4  Baden Cooke GreenEdge Cycling Team 00:09
5  Tom Jelte Slagter Rabobank Cycling Team 00:11
6  Tony Gallopin RadioShack – Nissan 00:12
7  Christopher Sutton Sky Procycling @ same time
8  Jakob Fuglsang RadioShack – Nissan 00:15
9  Ramunas Navardauskas Team Garmin – Barracuda @ same time
10  Fabian Cancellara RadioShack – Nissan 00:19
11  Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor 00:21
12  Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver Katusha Team @ same time
13  Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas – Cannondale 00:24
14  Peter Velits Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
15  Vladimir Gusev Katusha Team 00:28
16  Arnold Jeannesson Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
17  Miyataka Shimizu Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
18  Laurens Ten Dam Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
19  Dennis Van Winden Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
20  Sandy Casar Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
21  Michael Schar BMC Racing Team @ same time
22  Lars Ytting Bak Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
23  Sylvain Chavanel Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:32
24  Maarten Wynants Rabobank Cycling Team @ same time
25  Daniel Oss Liquigas – Cannondale 00:34
26  Aleksandr Kuschynski Katusha Team 00:36
27  Tyler Farrar Team Garmin – Barracuda 00:39
28  Danilo Wyss BMC Racing Team 00:43
29  Alessandro Ballan BMC Racing Team 00:46
30  Luca Ascani Farnese Vini – Selle Italia @ same time
31  Stuart O’ Grady GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
32  Taylor Phinney BMC Racing Team 00:50
33  Marco Pinotti BMC Racing Team @ same time
34  Tom Boonen Omega Pharma – Quickstep 00:51
35  Joost Posthuma RadioShack – Nissan 00:54
36  Andy Schleck RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
37  Matthias Friedemann Champion System 00:58
38  Alexander Kristoff Katusha Team @ same time
39  Koen De Kort 1t4i 01:01
40  Yaroslav Popovych RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
41  Hayato Yoshida Team Bridgestone – Anchor @ same time
42  Thomas Bonnin 1t4i 01:02
43  Jai Crawford RTS Racing Team 01:08
44  Pier Paolo De Negri Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 01:12
45  Alex Coutts RTS Racing Team @ same time
46  Klaas Lodewyck BMC Racing Team @ same time
47  Graeme Brown Rabobank Cycling Team 01:15
48  Johan Vansummeren Team Garmin – Barracuda 01:17
49  Maarten Tjallingii Rabobank Cycling Team 01:18
50  Roy Curvers 1t4i @ same time
51  Guillaume Van Keirsbulck Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
52  Mathew Hayman Sky Procycling @ same time
53  Allan Davis GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
54  Christian Vande Velde Team Garmin – Barracuda 01:20
55  Pengda Jiao Champion System @ same time
56  Martin Kohler BMC Racing Team 01:24
57  Ian Stannard Sky Procycling @ same time
58  Robert Hunter Team Garmin – Barracuda 01:25
59  Stijn Vandenbergh Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
60  David Mc Cann RTS Racing Team 01:26
61  Maciej Bodnar Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
62  Xu Gang Champion System 01:28
63  Gert Steegmans Omega Pharma – Quickstep 01:29
64  Gregory Henderson Lotto – Belisol Team @ same time
65  Frantisek Rabon Omega Pharma – Quickstep 01:31
66  Matthieu Ladagnous Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 01:32
67  William Bonnet Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
68  Ryota Nishizono Team Bridgestone – Anchor 01:37
69  Frederik Willems Lotto – Belisol Team 01:39
70  David Millar Team Garmin – Barracuda 01:40
71  Mikhail Ignatyev Katusha Team 01:41
72  Adam Hansen Lotto – Belisol Team 01:49
73  Thomas Lebas Team Bridgestone – Anchor 01:50
74  Luke Rowe Sky Procycling 01:51
75  Murilo Antonio Fischer Team Garmin – Barracuda 01:52
76  Marcel Kittel 1t4i 01:54
77  Oscar Gatto Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 01:55
78  Chris Butler Champion System 01:56
79  Bert Grabsch Omega Pharma – Quickstep @ same time
80  Albert Timmer 1t4i 02:04
81  Ramon Sinkeldam 1t4i 02:07
82  David Boucher Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat @ same time
83  Adam Blythe BMC Racing Team @ same time
84  Mauro Da Dalto Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
85  Fabio Sabatini Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
86  Marcel Sieberg Lotto – Belisol Team 02:13
87  Davide Appollonio Sky Procycling 02:27
88  Kazuo Inoue Team Bridgestone – Anchor 02:33
89  Thomas Bertolini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 02:36
90  Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling 03:05
91  Gabriel Rasch Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 03:07
92  Klaas Sys Team Bridgestone – Anchor 03:23
93  Matthew Goss GreenEdge Cycling Team 03:42
94  Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling 03:45
95  Gregory Rast RadioShack – Nissan @ same time
96  Lee Rodgers RTS Racing Team 04:23
97  Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling @ same time
98  Wei Kei Chang RTS Racing Team 04:34
99  Denis Galimzyanov Katusha Team 04:47
100  Diego Caccia Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 04:52
101  Andrea Guardini Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 04:53
102  Gorik Gardeyn Champion System @ same time
103  Robert Wagner RadioShack – Nissan 04:56
104  Rüdiger Selig Katusha Team @ same time
105  Christiano Benenati Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 05:04
106  Clinton Avery Champion System 05:22
107  Aidis Kruopis GreenEdge Cycling Team 05:28
108  Svein Tuft GreenEdge Cycling Team @ same time
109  Alan Marangoni Liquigas – Cannondale @ same time
110  Jens Debusschere Lotto – Belisol Team 05:33
111  Tobias Ludvigsson 1t4i 05:34
112  Alessandro Vanotti Liquigas – Cannondale 05:40
113  Vladimir Isaychev Katusha Team 05:53
114  Alex Rasmussen Team Garmin – Barracuda 05:59
115  Mart Ojavee Champion System 06:01
116  Dominique Rollin Equipe Cycliste FDJ – BigMat 06:14
117  Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team 06:43
118  Jens Mouris GreenEdge Cycling Team 06:54
119  Kevin Hulsmans Farnese Vini – Selle Italia 07:02
120  Alexandre Lemair Team Bridgestone – Anchor 07:50
121  Dominik Klemme 1t4i 08:48
122  Chin Lung Huang RTS Racing Team 08:58
123  William Clarke Champion System 09:52
124  Jonas Van Genechten Lotto – Belisol Team 10:33
125  Coen Vermeltfoort Rabobank Cycling Team 16:16
126  Sebastian Langeveld GreenEdge Cycling Team 16:43
127  Sergey Kudentsov RTS Racing Team
