Quintana s Last KM Move Tour of Oman 2026 Stage 5 Highlights
Stage 5 delivered the classic Tour of Oman finale: a tense approach, a controlled chase, and then everything exploding on Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain). The early move was kept on a short leash, but once the peloton hit the 5.7 km climb, the pace turned brutal and the GC fight went fully open.
Relentless accelerations on the steep ramps shredded the group, teammates became crucial, and the last kilometre turned into a pure battle of legs and timing. This stage wasn’t just about the win — it reshaped the overall standings on the most decisive climb of the race.
#TourOfOman #TourOfOman2026 #UAEteamEmiratesXRG
Welcome to the final day of this five-day ride through the Jewel of the Gulf,
which concludes with the climb of all Arabian Climbs, Jabal al-Aqdar.
For me, it's really, really important because five months, no races.
Boom! An explosion of power from the Colombian.
He's going to take victory by half a wheel.
Win now, I'm very happy.
Every kilometre, every second, I just believe I can do it.
And it's going to be a stunning, stunning victory for a man who's never won.
I also remember every day I passed through surfing
and I just deserve it, I think, now.
Oh dear, a really bad crash.
Mechanic, mechanic problem.
The red jersey is dropped.
Gates is struggling.
Mauro Schmid takes stage three.
Yeah, I'm definitely happy with the shape.
Erlend Bikker is coming on the right-hand side from Uno-X,
but also Emmanuel Houkou.
It's Bikker, I think. Bikker takes it.
Milano and Houkou were there as well.
It's a relief to start the season in a good way.
Then I can be confident.
And, you know, once you start winning, then I will come more.
Schmid faces the fight of his life to stay in red,
as the GC remains anyone's guess.
The top 15 separated by less than 45 seconds.
Adam Yates, looking for his third straight title, is outside the top 10.
Verhoeffer, Descherny have lit up the race and remain in green and gold.
Ciotta is the best young rider.
We know that Mauro Schmid
is in incredible shape now,
but also Adam are dangerous people of today.
We hope to give everything and catch this GC.
And we know that it will be difficult, but we are here to try.
I think maybe the gap is a little bit too big.
If I'm in my best, maybe it's possible.
But, you know, Mauro is climbing super, super well.
And, you know, there's a lot of good climbs in front of me as well.
So, yeah, here we are.
It will be a tough day.
I think I'm probably in the best shape of my life,
so I just can try how good I am today
and see how quick I can climb.
So after four days of intense racing across the Sultanate,
today is the day that will define the GC.
155.9 from the historic Nizwa Fort,
winding through the rugged Hajar Mountains
and concluding with that brutal ascent of Jabal al-Aqda, the Green Mountain.
It was ultra fast pace from the flag,
and it seemed like every single one of the 110 riders
who'd made it to Stage 5 attacked at some point.
Eventually, though, Johan-Prijs Pietersen and Jans Hemph-Vinneberg made it away,
and they were joined later on by Vincenzo Albanese,
Florian Dauphin and Frederik Diversenis.
Together, they worked efficiently and built a lead
that eventually reached a maximum of two and a half minutes.
One by one, they were dropped.
One by one, they fell until Diversenis was the last man standing.
But he was caught as well halfway up the Emerald Mountain.
At the same time, Paria Pantra's bad week continued.
Valentin was chucked out the back like an unwanted Valentine's gift this weekend.
The break was over and Adam Yates was in front.
Was this going to be the first time in history
for three consecutive victories at the Tour of Oman?
Yates's initial acceleration put the red jersey of Mauro Schmidt in difficulty.
Scaroni was the first to react, followed by Nairo Quintana again,
who we saw to the fore yesterday.
Here comes Nairo with that familiar dancing style on those pedals.
Clichés are there for a reason.
Paul Double was there.
So was Cristian Rodriguez.
So two for Astana and two for Jayco.
Schmidt distanced, and that is the end of his quest for a red jersey here.
Adam Yates, though, had not given up by any means.
Under the flamme rouge, the final kilometre and an elite group of six
remained together.
Yates pushed on and they were down to four.
Lucas Platt was in there, as was Nairo Quintana still.
Yates searching for that elusive hat trick.
But there were two Astana riders and two Jayco Alula riders,
and they needed to watch out because look who's coming.
Luke Platt.
He's been a supporting artist throughout this race,
but now this is his stage and he's a top build platypus.
Nairo Quintana is dropped at the back.
Yates really trying to bridge across and make it to Platt.
Platt wasn't going to win the overall, but he really wanted this stage.
It's been a super race for him and a super race for Jayco Alula as well.
Yates is on the front, but someone's coming past him.
One of the Astana riders is not Rodriguez, it's Cristian Scaroni.
And Cristian Scaroni is only a few seconds back in the overall.
And he wants it all.
He wants the stage.
He wants the red jersey.
He wants the title.
And I think he's going to get every single little thing that he wants
and what he's dreamed of.
Arms aloft, punching the sky.
Scaroni takes it.
It's an incredible feeling.
I managed the power from the bottom.
We used also the head, not just the legs.
It means a lot, this victory, and I'm really happy.
Well, as the sun beat down and the riders recovered,
it turned out to be an Astana 1-2.
Scaroni, Rodriguez and Luke Platt.
What a day he had and what a week too.
You know what?
That no one's ever won three straight Tour of Amman was maybe an amen.
For Yates, it became the Tour of Amman.
But congratulations to Astana and Cristian Scaroni.