140 Holidays # 75 By Will Will By Pa holidays Riding an Om cycling. The original original The cycling. been contested there there contested been cyclo-tourism event. cyclo-tourism part of the calendar of calendar the part but there are other other are but there the Tourthe of Qatar, race in the region, race region, the in r may no longer be now astrong has The Middle East East Middle The association with association with t 01 t events that have have that events including a new new a including early 2017… in # L 75 evy from his father. At this time, the country was in strife. strife. in was country the time, this At father. his from over coup to take abloodless 1970 after in to rule came Said, bin Qaboos Sultan Majesty His leader, The history. (2016). Nibali (2013 2014) and Vincenzo and Froome (2010), Chris Cancellara Fabian including years over the title the take names big some seen has event the and ‘ (pronounced Muscat around centred is race of the focus main The Classics. upcoming forthe training season early excellent with teams professional the provides so and mild. is weather the when February in held Tour it is Asia and for the event a 2.HC as UCI by the rated at 11.00am. degrees 23 enjoyed amild and Muscat, capital, the in airport the Ileft as me greeted surprises many of first The before. I’d visited never acountry in be would how it curious Iwas and my thoughts filled conditions the Iconfess, But, East. Middle of the heat desert dry the with I’d able to cope be Ifigured February, of early heatwave four. stage preceded that event amateur inaugural the in to participate as well as Tour of the of , a spectator to be me allowed itinerary The invitation. the accepted Ieagerly organise, cohort his and Eddy race the watch and Oman to visit made was offer an when So heat. the in riding about Iknew confident I was holidays my cycling during temperatures high experiencing metres. to mere visibility reduced which asandstorm inconvenience, another was there heat temperatures of 43.5 degrees. temperatures 2015 in race due fiveof to the stage cancelled (14-19Oman begrudgingly he Famously, February). Tour the for of director race current the is Belgian the and greats cycling all-time oneof the is Merckx Eddy Man!— Oh W Like the race, the country of Oman has an interesting interesting an has of Oman country the race, the Like 2,000m, exceeding mountains roads, superb has Oman 2010. currently is in held It was first The three-day infamous the during Sydney in ridden Ihad As and years formany Tour Under the Down visiting After h at ah Beyond the problems with with problems the Beyond oliday Riding and Explo Masgat ’) ’) at the office were banished on the hour drive from Muscat Muscat from drive hour the on banished were office at the day of aflat idea the 1,475m Very quickly with of climbing. forcycling. conditions –perfect wind little very with degrees 23 average: on bang again once was forecast The of Tourism. Ministry at the Muscat downtown in ending and Sifah) (Jebel Yiti from four, forstage used route the following and early starting race; amateur aone-day was Classics. to the lead-up the in form good showing six, and four one, stages included which sprints bunch won three Norwegian The February. this Oman level. sea above 2,000m out at tops over which paved section top ofway the to the the go all will riders the day one Maybe percent. of 10.5 gradient average an with task no easy road–still windy the way up of the 5.7km riding Mountain, of Green half under tackle riders professional East”. The Middle of the d’Huez Alpe “the considered is climb final This Mountain). (Green Akhdhar Al Jabal brutal up the Stage, Queen the five, and Van Avermaet. Greg team-mate and Costa Rui , Bardet, Romain as such riders top level included which field stacked highly the dominated Belgian The title. won the Racing BMC from Hermans Ben stages. six country! the throughout tarmac beautiful of over 30,000km and institutions education higher and now universities over 30 are there rate, mortality infant high of paved road. 10km only was there holiday: ariding to consider place the hardly ideal, from far it was of view point From aroadcyclist’s country. the throughout schools three only were there apriority; not was education of 75 rate and percent mortality infant an was There Our statistics for the day’s journey were simple: 92km 92km simple: were day’s journey forthe statistics Our there Tour the of Oman, with conjunction in year, This in riding standout other the was Kristoff Alexander two stages including victories stage two took Hermans included and 2017 long The 885km was Tour of Oman the is Gone Oman. in dramatically have changed Things r ing O man — PHOTO: Yuzuru Sunada Yuzuru PHOTO: small group of UK riders ‘The Arctic A/C Riders’. A/C Arctic ‘The riders of UK group small by a formed was abreakaway right-hander along After time. by prison punished be can there car their with caught driver any and legal is freeway the on shoulder hard the in bikes riding states lawof Oman the that to know pleased We all were flat. false along along lane), (breakdown shoulder hard freeway, the on the on to ride began soon We lived. short was It Ruwi. of Muscat, ‘suburb’ outer an amazing! just was This 2009. since Ihave done events other and adventures Route Haute the during year we doevery which Dolomites or Pyrenees, the through to riding Muscat. from 15km just still yet countryside, remote in we were Now pitches. football dirt harsh or limestone. the through of aroadcut ribbon black one and to no greenery little haze, grey acertain distance, the in off mountains huge cliffs, jagged moonscape: as imagine you would what like something resembled terrain The cassette. their on gear more one had they if seeing and stems the than other at something to look achance was there and them, around was what see now actually could Riders little. world. the in anywhere experienced roadI’ve best of the some it was of cyclo-tourists, peloton of our attacks countless by chasing covered it was Although kilometres. of nine stretch glorious percent. seven of just 1.2km told us: they –so climb” “easy an was stop, arest before of 12%; then, 600m by another 1.1km of 13%quickly atough very followed with presented we were when ride ‘amateur’ our into kilometres six just was surprise My first climbs. steep short, tough very three face would riders 30km first the Over of Oman. Gulf the on resort of a seaside development/oasis a recent to Sifah, There was a small truce in the race as we rode through through we rode as race the in truce asmall was There different so it was no other, like of roadwas section This cats wild donkeys, goats, roaming no more were There out a themselves to sort started had racers our By then a to paradise, us but it led ride achallenging was It with true legends like . Merckx. Eddy like legends true with shoulders rub actually you can when especially missed, be not it is that ordinary the from far so something is Oman in pleasure. with returning… be I’ll yes, that, decision the made Iquickly Oman, is that uniqueness and smells tastes, sights, photos, the Irelived as home 2017. in later flight the On confirmed to be expected is This race. stage amateur day athree planning are they of Oman, fun. having all we were puddles in jumping akid like but activity friendly environmentally most the not Maybe suspension. car’s the to test pools deeper and larger seeking holes water the through driving off took mode, WRC true in and, 4WD low range engaged Mohammed, driver, wadis of the one to visit Camel) a Japanese as Oman in (known Toyota Landcruiser there. to go shopping want men wise any should suited myrrh. enough, funnily and, frankincense gold, silver, incense, to buy candles, stores their you into encouraged kindly holders stall The market. the throughout cloud of scent adense creating air, the through wafts It for. famous is Oman that something and sap of trees, dried –the of frankincense smell the Iforget will Never old town. stock. their sell to buy and there are who characters the and fish the both from abounds colour but seen to be nowhere is refrigeration where market fish traditional to pray. the time one Wevisited at the also people 20,000 fit comfortably can It 2001. in opened was which Mosque Grand Qaboos Sultan at the spent Tours sawtime Zahara with Aday of Muscat. surrounds and Gulf city, the the to experience time also was there alone; cycling even pros. the to all access personal and up close you to gain allowing finishes, and zones feed starts, at stage access you have amazing to no crowds, little are there that is Tour at the of Oman of being advantage key One pace. faster at amuch all times, go by three peloton professional the to watch was task next Our provided. were beanbags and Coke biscuits, massage, Sandwiches, us. after look of average 10%.an at finish roadto the mountain winding 3.6km up the back straight and descent fast by avery followed percent eight of average an with 2.3km easy an boasting side first The Amerat. called range mountain of the double ascent the was just. but only Amateurs… respectively. 850km, and up 860km clocked he champ; 20162015 and TT 24hour the was second, whocame Broadwith, Michael colleague, His up 830km. clocking after champion, trial time hour 24 2014 the British also is Jon minutes! – by over four race amateur of the winner overall the was He abike. on mild from far is teacher, science mannered a mild who appears ex-pat teacher an Schubert, Jon standard. of top amateur Will Levy travelled courtesy of Oman Sail. ofOman courtesy travelled Levy Will more about the experience: watch the race by all means but even the the even but means all by race the watch experience: the about more roads for the fans. fans. the for roads also catered for cyclo-tourists, albeit with a ‘race’ rather than a ‘gran fondo’ ( fondo’ ‘gran a than rather ‘race’ a with albeit cyclo-tourists, for catered also Racing team ahead of a quality field that included ( Bardet Romain included that field quality a of ahead team Racing Ride ‘ to dothis and experience an is event UCI any Attending Tour the with combination in year, Next Igo back? Will a in a trip is missed not to be adventures of the One ideally also it is evidently, and, It’s forcycling ahaven the in bazaar city’s the souk, to the avisit was after Soon or race the about just not was to Oman adventure The to there were organisers the finish, timed at the Once to enjoy what souls our to search of us rest the left That club were this from riders of the two that Ilearned Later As-Salaam-Alaikum ( Hermans Ben th e sam e r oads as th left T his year was the first time the event organised by by organised event the time first the was year his ) won stages two and five of the elite competition and claimed the title for his BMC BMC his for title the claimed and competition elite the of five and two stages won ) ’ – peace to be upon you. upon to be ’ –peace – think a natural river bed. Our Our bed. river anatural –think e r ac e … Just being a spectator is… well, so last century. T n

Will Levy below T our of of our E ddy Merckx (opposite page, page, (opposite Merckx ddy ). PHOTOS: Yuzuru Sunada x3 Sunada Yuzuru PHOTOS: O far left far man has opened up the the up opened has man ). ). hese days it’s below ) # 75 141 Holidays