MUSCAT: With the triumph, the race winner claimed the red jersey as overall race leader and the green jersey for the points classification. The 31 years old gave UAE Team Emirates-XRG their seventh win of the season on the first weekend of February.
Molano emerged fastest as he managed to beat Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) to the line, whilst Gerben Thijssen swept up third, after Alpecin-Premier Tech delivered arguably the best lead-out but not the best finish.
In addition to Molano’s achievements, Polish rider Patryk Goszczurny of Team Visma | Lease a Bike claimed the gold jersey, while also securing the white jersey as the best young rider (Under-21).
UAE Team Emirates come to this race as defending champions with Adam Yates targetting a third consecutive overall victory, and are already off to a winning start, adding to their 2026 tally once again.
Speaking after his victory, Juan Sebastián Molano said:“ I am very happy with this win in the first stage of the Tour of Oman. It is a special victory for me and for UAE Team Emirates. The race was fast and highly competitive from the very first kilometres, but thanks to the great support of my teammates, I was able to position myself perfectly in the final metres and secure the win.”
“Wearing the red jersey as the overall leader, along with the green jersey for the points classification, gives me a huge motivation for the coming stages. The Tour of Oman is an important race on the international cycling calendar, and its organisation and varied routes make it both exciting and challenging. We will continue to work as a team to defend the lead and aim for positive results in the remaining stages.” He added
The Tour of Oman is organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, in cooperation with the Oman Cycling Federation, along with several government and private sector partners.
The first stage, covering a distance of 170.9 kilometres, was officially flagged off on Saturday by H.E. Sayyid Ahmed bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Wali of Bousher. The route started from Al Khuwair Square, passing through several key areas of Muscat before concluding at the scenic Hawiyat Najm in Qurayyat. The stage route took riders from Al Khuwair towards the Ministry of Housing, turning right onto Culture Street and crossing the Ministries Bridge.
The peloton then continued past Doha Al Adab Street, joining the expressway towards Bousher Heights and the mountain road. Riders passed through Al Amerat, Al Hajir Roundabout, and across Al Masarat Hospital Bridge, before heading through Jahlout Al Sareen and Al Suwaqim to Qurayyat. The final descent led towards Fins Beach, with the stage concluding at Hawiyat Najm, one of Oman’s most iconic natural landmarks. Hawiyat Najm, located in Qurayyat, is a natural sinkhole approximately 40 metres in diameter and around 20 metres deep, forming a striking turquoise pool that has become a major tourist attraction in the Sultanate.
The stage awards ceremony was held in presence of Dr. Marwan bin Jumaa al Jumaa, Board Member of the Oman Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Oman Hockey Association.
