Results Tour of Oman 2026 Stage 2 | Baptiste Veistroffer stuns peloton with breakaway win and first pro victory on Yitti Hills

Baptiste Veistroffer claimed a perfectly judged solo victory on Stage 2 of the Tour of Oman, attacking late from the day’s breakaway to hold off a charging peloton on the uphill finish at Yitti Hills.

The 191-kilometre stage from Al Rustaq Fort was shaped early by an active five-rider move featuring Veistroffer, Tim Marsman, Patryk Goszczurny, Gil Gelders and Said Alrahbi. With UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Team Jayco AlUla content to control rather than chase aggressively, the break was given room to build a sizeable advantage across the long, flat opening half of the day.

The race began to fracture on the sequence of sharp climbs inside the final 50 kilometres. Gelders was first to abandon the move, while the tempo on Bousher Al Amerat and Al Hamriyah steadily reduced the break to its strongest components. Goszczurny continued to hoover up mountain points, effectively securing his grip on the climbers' classification, but the cooperation at the front began to falter.

Sensing hesitation, Veistroffer launched his decisive attack inside the final kilometres, opening a gap just as Marsman and Goszczurny were caught by the peloton behind. With the bunch reorganising on the approach to Yitti Hills, the Lotto Intermarché rider committed fully to his move.

Behind, UAE Team Emirates - XRG lifted the pace through Adam Yates, but the response came a touch too late. Veistroffer maintained his advantage over the final kilometre, cresting the rise to the line with enough in hand to secure a rare and well-earned victory from the break.

The peloton swept in shortly afterwards, denying the GC contenders any meaningful time gaps on a day where control rather than confrontation defined the approach from most teams.

For Veistroffer, the win capped a ride built on persistence and timing rather than raw power, rewarding Lotto Intermarché for committing fully to the long-range option. On a stage designed to tempt both attackers and favourites, it was the breakaway that ultimately prevailed.