PREVIEW | Muscat Classic 2023 - Warm-up for Tour of Oman sees climbers and puncheurs battle over steep ascents

In the 10th of February 2023 the peloton sees a new one-day race, the Muscat Classic. Right before the Tour of Oman, the classic which takes place in the same territory will provide one more opportunity for sprinters and classics riders to succeed.

The 173.7-kilometer long route follows familiar roads to those that have raced the Tour of Oman. It consists of some of the race's popular climbs, which are short and steep. It is a classic for the puncheurs and climbers, however a sprint isn't impossible. The Climb of Al Jissah has 1.1Km at 10% and summits with only 4 kilometers to go, the decisive attacks will come there, before a fast downhill finish into Al Bustan.

The final startlist includes meaningful names such as: Greg van Avermaet, Louis Meintjes, Mark Cavendish, Alexey Lutsenko, Emanuel Buchmann, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Thomas de Gendt, Jan Hirt, Tim Merlier, Pascal Ackermann, Davide Formolo, Diego Ulissi, Axel Zingle and Iván Sosa.

Prediction Time

*** Alexey Lutsenko, Diego Ulissi
** Davide Formolo, Axel Zingle
* Giovanni Aleotti, Emanuel Buchmann, Ryan Gibbons, Greg van Avermaet, Jesús Herrada, Jan Hirt

Pick: Diego Ulissi