Olav Kooij and Team Visma | Lease a Bike have secured their first victory of the season. The 23-year-old Dutch rider powered to an impressive sprint win in the opening stage of the five-day race.
The 14th edition of the Tour of Oman kicked off with a 177-kilometer stage finishing at Bimmah Sinkhole. After a hilly opening, the race concluded with a predominantly flat run-in. Team Visma | Lease a Bike, with an active Pietro Mattio, took control of the peloton in support of sprinter Kooij. With about 20 kilometers to go, the last of the early breakaway riders were caught, setting the stage for a fierce sprint battle.
Kooij benefited from the support of two new additions to his lead-out train: Daniel McLay and U23 world champion Niklas Behrens. The duo positioned him perfectly in the final moments. Kooij—who claimed eight victories in 2024—launched his sprint at the right time, taking both the stage win and the leader’s jersey in the five-day race.
“I’m really happy to take my first win of the season here,” Kooij said after the finish. “This was a stage we had marked from the start. We took responsibility in the peloton and executed our plan perfectly. I have to thank my teammates— they made sure I was in the perfect position to launch my sprint. It felt great. I’m looking forward to wearing the leader’s jersey, though I know the upcoming stages will be tougher.”
Sports Director Maarten Wynants was pleased to see the team claim its first road victory of the season. “It’s always nice to get the first win on the board,” the Belgian smiled. “With Daniel and Niklas, we had a new lead-out combination for Olav today. Daniel is highly experienced in this role, while Niklas is just starting his journey as a pro. We were curious to see how they would work together, and I think it’s safe to say it went really well. It wasn’t an easy day for us, but Pietro—who is getting the chance to show himself as a U23 rider in the WorldTeam—did an outstanding job in the peloton. This victory is a result of the entire team’s effort, which makes it even more special.”
Stage 1
- Olav Kooij (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) 04h27’19”
- Pavel Bittner (Team Picnic PostNL) +00’’
- Erlend Blikra (Uno-X Mobility) +00’’
GC
- Olav Kooij (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) 04h27’09”
- Pavel Bittner (Team Picnic PostNL) +04’’
- Rodrigo Alvarez (Burgos-Burpellet BH) +05’’
