Tour of Oman: Fernando Gaviria wins stage 1

As is frequent, the Colombian sprinter has racked up another win in the early weeks of the season as he took the opportunity of a reduced sprinter field to take his first win since the Tour de Pologne last year.

The breakaway was formed early on containing Peio Goikoetxea (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Jan Dunnewind (Team Novo Nordisk) and Mohammed Al-Wahibi (Oman). The move was short-lived as they were caught in the day's sole climb where DSM made a move splitting the peloton but to no effect.

They tried to once again near the end, with Søren Kragh Andersen trying an attack in the final kilometers, but with no wind and a bunch sprint behind there wasn't a chance.

UAE managed to have the strongest leadout and in the slightly uphill finale Fernando Gaviria had everyone in the wheel when he launched his sprint. Despite Mark Cavendish coming close there was no beating the UAE Team Emirates rider as he opens his tally on the season, with Kaden Groves finishing third on the day.