Tour of Oman Stage 4: Sultan Qaboos Grande Mosque > Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain), 189kms

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The peloton starts from the Grand Mosque in Muscat with 189-kilometres to face - with a roaring headwind..!

sceneryoman

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Stijn Vandenbergh leads a quartet of escapers away, and they are all laughing..!

etixxoman

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Matthew Goss is not laughing - he makes a wheel change and has to fight hard to get back...

mtnoman

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Dylan Teuns has fallen while collecting water-bottles...

crash bmcoman

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Prebyn Van Hecke and Vandenbergh are the only escapers now, with Guardini and Van Meirharghe having dropped back after the first sprint...

topsportoman

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An Omani fan and his daughter have to wait ten minutes to see the peloton pass...

fansoman

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Trek Factory Racing are having to do all the work, so it's not clear why Popovych and Rast are laughing about it so much...

popovychoman

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Vandenbergh and Van Hecke have a twelve-minute lead now, at least they are not laughing..!

etixx

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The peloton starts to string out on a high plateau - the hard work starts now...

sceneryoman

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BMC joins the chases now, with Teuns doing the work at the front...

bmcoman

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Fabian Cancelllara has no need to defend his race-lead - but he can help climber, Julian Arredondo...

trekoman

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Daniel Schorn knows how to serve some lunch to his Bora Argon 18 teamates...

borafeedimg

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The peloton can feel cooler temperatures now, with blue skies to cheer them along as well...

sceneryoman

Van Hecke and Vandenberghe are still four minutes ahead with 30-kilometres to go...

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The peloton climbs through a moon-like canyon with the escape in sight at last...

sceneryoman

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Michael Schar leads a BMC train up onto the final climb...

bmcoman

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Arredondo looks likely to take the race-lead today, he's near the front just in case...

trekoman

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Cancellara eases off the pace as the steepest part of the climb begins...

trekoman

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Damiano Caruso leads the race with two-kilometres to go...

bmcoman

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Ben Hermans attacks now - there's a strong BMC plan being played out..!

bmceoman

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Tejay Van Garderen attacks now, dropping Valverde, Majka and Arredondo...

bmcoman

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Valls and Majka have got on to Van Garderen's wheel with one-kilometre to go...

bmcoman

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Alejandro Valverde is chasing hard to keep the gap down...

movistaroman

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Thibaut Pinot is chasing hard too - he'll take 5th place today..!

fdj

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Rafa Valls wins stage four ahead of Tejay Van Garderen and Alejandro Valverde...

lampreoman

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Rafal Majka finishes fourth at 22-seconds...

tinkoff

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Wouter Poel cools off after finishing in 13th place for Sky...

skyheat

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Vincenzo Nibali recovers on the ground after losing 2'27" today...

astanaoman

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Rafa Valls becomes the new race-leader with nine-seconds advantage over Van Garderen...

lampreoman