Muscat – Swiss rider Mauro Schmid of Team Jayco AlUla delivered a promising performance to win Stage three of the 15th edition of the Tour of Oman, completing the challenging 191.5 Km stage in a timing of 4 hours, 13 minutes and 17 seconds on Monday. Stage three began from Al Fayhaa Rest House in Wilayat Samail and concluded at Misfat Al Abriyeen in the Eastern Mountain, featuring a demanding route that tested riders with long distances, varied terrain, and a decisive uphill finish. Schmid’s well-timed effort on the final climb allowed him to secure the stage victory and move into the overall lead of the race.
With his win, Schmid claimed the red jersey as the overall race leader. The green jersey for the points classification went to French rider Baptiste Veistroffer of Lotto–Intermarché while Polish rider Patryk Goszczurny of Team Visma | Lease a Bike earned the golden jersey as the most aggressive rider. The white jersey for Best Young Rider (Under 23 years) was claimed by Norwegian rider Martin Tjøtta of Uno-X Mobility.
The stage awards ceremony was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Sulaiman bin Said al Azri, Wali of Al Hamra.
Speaking after the race, stage winner Mauro Schmid described the stage as one of the toughest of the Tour. “It was a really hard race as it was harder than we expected,” Schmid said.
“The pace was high throughout but my team supported me perfectly especially at the bottom of the climb. They protected me well, controlled the race and gave me everything I needed.” He added
“In the final, I was not in the best position but the team helped me a lot and I am happy with this result. There is still a long way to go. Tomorrow (Tuesday) should be easier but stage five will be very tough and the priority now is to stay safe and be ready to defend in the final days.” He said
White jersey holder Martin Tjøtta expressed his delight at competing in Oman. “This is my first time in Oman and I am really grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “It is a strong team and for me as a young rider, it is special to be team captain. The climb suited me well as it was long, not too short and in the final I was among the strongest. Tomorrow should be quite safe but the final stage at Green Mountain will be extremely tough. I believe I can deliver a good performance.”
The Tour of Oman will continue on Tuesday with Stage Four as it will cover 146.8 Km from Al Sawadi Park in Wilayat Barka to the Sohar Corniche. The stage is expected to be one of the fastest and most tactical of the race, featuring a coastal route that will demand precise wind reading, strong team coordination, and high physical and mental readiness until the final meters.
