Bye, bye Muscat - we're off to Sur, 300-kilometres down the Omani coastline...
Things are a bit behind schedule - riders like Christian Vande Velde are getitng changed on the speeding boat as it nears Sur...
GARMINOMAN
The cyclists disembark from the high-speed boat less than one hour before the start...
TRANSPORTOMAN
Joost Posthuma dresses and packs his bag on someone's terrrace in Sur...
LEOPARDOMAN
Alexandre Vinokurov gets a quick massage on the terrace of a coffee-shop...
ASTANAMASSAGEOMAN
Some Sky riders use the coffeee-shop terrace to get ready, despite the less than ideal setting...
SKYOMAN
Stage three sets off from the new bridge over the river at Sur...
SCENERYOMAN
Five escapers are led away by Marcus Burghardt - they face a long day out in the desert..!
BMCOMAN
Men like Cameron Meyer have no interest chasing the escape - tomorrow's a much more important day with its uphill finish...
Edvals Boasson-Hagen chats with fellow Norwegian, Thor Hushovd - reigning World Champion with a future World Champion..?
FRIENDSOMAN
Hayden Roulston and Matt Goss are interested in chasing, but not for another 50-kilometres or so...
HTCOMAN
The five escapers are deep in desert country - and it's getting rather hot..!
Lars Bak propels HTC along at the head of the peloton - the chase has officially started now...
HTCCHASEOMAN
The peloton takes in the delights of Ras Riways, 62-kilometres into the stage...
A curious observer in a military helicopter gets a bit too close to the peloton, blowing sand all over the place...
SCENERYOMANHELICOPTER
Tom Boonen has plenty of time to chat with his team doctor behind the peloton - let HTC, Sky and Garmin do all the chasing..!
QUICKSTEPVAN MOLOMAN
MARK CAVENDISH AND ROGER HAMMOND ON STAGE THREE OF THE 2011 TOUR OF OMAN
Leopard-Trek is chasing too - with Joost Posthuma tapping away at the front...
Great sand dunes create a unique horizon for the Tour of Oman peloton...
Sand is the only thing to be seen as the peloton turns to start the second half of the stage back to Sur...
Taylor Phinney grabs some food - the young American looks fully at home in his first 'pro race...
BMCEATINGOMAN
Stuart O'Grady gets called back to his team car to study the race manual, under the guidance of Kim Andersen...
LEOPARDANDERSENOMAN
Kurt Asle Arvesen leads the chase for team Sky - they are within a few minutes of the escape now...
Mark Gumpo is driving the escape long with a tailwind - by the time they are caught the escape will have lasted a massive 205-kilometres..!
Russell Downing has a plastic bag tangled in his rear gear - Sky's mechanic goes to work...
SKYMECHANICOMAN
The bag is too tangled up - Downing and his mechanic stop to cut it loose with scissors...
Theo Bos wins stage three into Sur from daniele Bennati - Matt Goss retains his overall lead by taking 3rd today...
RABOBANKOMAN