Caja Rural – Seguros RGA will make history this season by lining up at the 2026 Tour de France. The Navarrese ProTeam has been awarded a wildcard for its first-ever appearance at the Grande Boucle, and since the announcement, the message has been clear. Every race now counts as part of the selection process. Every rider in the squad is effectively under assessment, and Sebastian Berwick is making a strong case for himself.
Monday brought the first real general classification test of the 2026 Tour of Oman, and the green jerseyed team emerged encouraged. Berwick finished a solid fourth on the summit finish at Eastern Mountain, placing Caja Rural firmly in contention for the top positions after the race’s first serious mountain test.
The stage did not begin smoothly for the team. A crash on the exit of a roundabout brought down Fernando Gaviria, Stefano Oldani and Eduard Prades, all of whom had been working to protect the designated leaders, Berwick and Jan Castellon.
While Berwick and Castellon avoided the incident and were able to continue, they reached the foot of the final climb slightly further back than planned.
A statement ride on Eastern Mountain
The decisive final climb, 3.5 kilometres at an average gradient above 7%, was raced at a relentless pace, initially driven by Team Jayco AlUla in support of Mauro Schmid. When the Swiss champion launched his attack close to the finish, Berwick was able to respond and hold his position among the leading group.
He crossed the line in fourth place, a result that also moves him into fourth overall. Castellon produced a steady and controlled ascent of his own, finishing 14th, tucked in behind Adam Yates.
Berwick was the strongest Caja Rural rider on Eastern Mountain and once again underlined his growing importance within the team.
Berwick’s reaction
After the stage, Berwick reflected on a demanding day in the saddle. “To be honest, I wasn’t feeling especially good during the day. The pace was very high, and there was a lot of stress in the peloton,” he said. “But the team worked really hard to keep Jan and me well-positioned at the front through all the roundabouts before the final climb.”
He also addressed the earlier crash. “On one of them, the road was very slipper,y and that crash happened. Fortunately, both Jan and I managed to avoid it, although some of our teammates weren’t so lucky. I hope they’re all OK.”
Once the road tilted upwards, Berwick found his rhythm. “On the climb itself, I felt very good, in control, and I knew I had to be patient. It’s not the perfect climb for me, but I positioned myself well and only lost a few metres in the sprint. Finishing fourth is something I’m really happy with.”
Looking ahead, Berwick believes the team has plenty still to play for. “Now we have something to fight for over the next two days, with Gaviria tomorrow and then Jan and me on the final stage, which I think suits both of us better.”
The Tour of Oman continues on Tuesday with a stage expected to favour the sprinters, although strong winds could play a decisive role ahead of a likely bunch finish in Sohar. The general classification will be settled on Wednesday, with the brutal ascent of Green Mountain, nearly six kilometres at an average gradient of 10%, set to deliver the final verdict.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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