The 2025 season has only been underway for a few weeks, but it already seems to be in full swing; after the Australian races, it's now the Middle East's turn to take center stage. The spotlight is about to shine on Oman, which from Friday 7 to Wednesday 12 February will host the Muscat Classic and the now traditional Tour of Oman, spread over 5 racing days. Born in 2010, it has gained more and more prestige over the years and in this edition can count on 18 teams at the start, of which 9 are World Tour: Arkéa B&B Hotels, XDS Astana Team, Groupama – FDJ, Movistar Team, Soudal Quick Step, Team Picnic PostNL, Team Jayco Alula, UAE Team Emirates XRG, Team Visma Lease a Bike.

MUSCAT CLASSIC

Opening the Omani event will be the third edition of the Muscat Classic, a tasty appetizer that will inaugurate the great event in a very spectacular way. The one-day race, born in 2023, will start from the Al Mouj district and arrive at Al Bustan after 170.3 km, a route that follows last year's edition won by Finn Fisher Back. It's a challenging and difficult-to-interpret route that will test the athletes, especially in the second part where they will have to tackle 6 mountain passes. The group will face the Al Jaba Road climb (3.5 km at 9.2%) after 85 km and then enter a final circuit that includes a double passage on the Hamriyah (900m at 10.1%) and Al Jissah (1.1 km at 10%) climbs, finally the Wadi Al Kabir ascent (2.1 km at 7.3%) that will end 5000 m from the finish line and is perfect for an attacker.

TOUR OF OMAN

The Tour of Oman blows out 14 candles with a course steeped in tradition, 5 varied stages from 8 to 12 February for a total of 881.4 km that will offer something for sprinters, climbers, and especially attackers. The Omani stage race was born in 2010 and has always attracted great champions who came to the Middle East to fine-tune their preparation. Among the winners of the general classification, we remember Fabian Cancellara, winner of the first edition, the only two athletes to achieve a double are Chris Froome (2013 - 2014) and Aleksej Lucenko (2018- 2019). Italy is also present in the honor roll thanks to Vincenzo Nibali, who after a second place in 2012, triumphed in 2016, and Andrea Guardini, winner of the points classification in 2015. The last edition was won by Adam Yates, who returns to Oman in search of a repeat.

The opening will almost certainly be entrusted to the sprinters, the group will pedal from Bushar to Bimmah Sink Hole (177.7 km) on a route almost completely devoid of difficulties except for the Jabal Road climb (3.5 km at 9.2%), but positioned over 150 km from the finish line; however, beware of the final straight exposed to the sea. The second stage is the longest on the program, with over 200 km calling attackers and climbers for the first time who will have to overcome 4 mountain passes, but above all will need great explosiveness. Starting from Al Rustaq Fort with a first part of the race quite simple, everything will come alive in the last 50 kilometers where they will face in order a new side of Jabal Road (3.3 km at 9.8%), Al Jissah (2.5 km at 6.9%) and finally the climb to Yitti Hills (1.6 km at 7%) that will end 800 m from the finish line. The general classification riders will no longer be able to hide in the third day of racing with the Eastern Mountain climb that last year was canceled due to bad weather. The group will start from the city of Fanja and pedal for 176 km before facing the only difficulty of the day: the Eastern Mountain climb, 4.6 km long with an average of 8.5%.

Last chance for sprinters in the fourth stage of the race, the Oman Across Ages Museum – Oman Convention Exhibition Centre, which, in addition to connecting two wonderful structures at the start and finish locations, does not present any particular difficulties. The grand finale will be entrusted to the 138 km from Imty to Jabal al Akhdhar, a stage to be experienced that could overturn the general classification. The athletes will indeed have to face the final 5.7 km all uphill with an average of 10.5%, needless to say, the show is guaranteed.

Here is the complete list of stages:

1st stage (8/02) – Bushar – Bimmah Sink Hole (177.7 km)

2nd stage (9/02) – Al Rustaq Fort- Yitti Hills (202.9 km)

3rd stage (10/02) – Fanja – Eastern Mountain (180.8 km)

4th stage (11/02) – Oman Across Ages Museum – Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (181.5 km)

5th stage (12/02) – Imty – Jabal al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) (138.5 km)