February 17/10 15:01 pm - Tour of Oman: Stage 4
Posted by Editoress on 02/17/10
HTC-Columbia's new professional Leigh Howard has taken an impressive bunch sprint victory in stage four of the Tour of Oman. The 20-year-old Australian was the fastest in a group of about 40 riders ahead of Daniele Bennati of Italy and Tom Boonen of Belgium.
"I'd only ridden one previous race with the pros, the Tour of Ireland last year, so to come here and beat some of the top guys in the peloton is an amazing feeling," Howard said after the win. "I'd been working for Bernie [HTC-Columbia teammate Bernhard Eisel] all week, but today with about 30 kilometres to go after the split had happened, I told him I was feeling really strong. He took me to about 500 metres to go to the finish and I went for it. I think it being a smaller group of riders like at today's finish was an advantage for me because I'm not so used to the big bunch sprints. That should come in the future."
A 2009 World Track Champion in the Omnium event, Howard said he had not been feeling too well earlier in the Tour of Oman, but "today was different. Some of my teammates were caught out when the split happened and the front group got away, but we powered across the gap in about a kilometre. After that, I felt confident I could go for the win."
Team HTC-Columbia press release
| Stage 4: Ibri to Nakhal, 187 km | |
| 1 Leigh Howard (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | 4:11:31 |
| 2 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 3 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | |
| 4 Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 5 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 6 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Katusha Team | |
| 7 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 8 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
| 9 Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team | |
| 10 Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 11 Martin Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 12 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Trek Livestrong U23 | |
| 13 Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | |
| 14 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 15 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 16 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 17 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 18 Lars Bak (Den) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 19 Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 20 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 21 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | |
| 22 Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 23 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram | |
| 24 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Katusha Team | |
| 25 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | |
| 26 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Team Saxo Bank | |
| 27 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 28 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | |
| 29 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team | all s.t. |
| 30 Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 0:07 |
| 31 Adam Hansen (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 32 Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | both s.t. |
| 33 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervélo Test Team | 0:08 |
| 34 Murilo Fischer (Bra) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 35 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 36 Joaquin Novoa (Esp) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 37 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | all s.t. |
| 38 Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 0:23 |
| 39 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | s.t. |
| 40 Lucas Sebastien Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | 0:49 |
| 41 Benjamin King (USA) Trek Livestrong U23 | 1:05 |
| 42 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky | |
| 43 Matthe Pronk (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 44 Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 45 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 46 Frank Hoj (Den) Team Saxo Bank | |
| 47 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 48 Baden Cooke (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | |
| 49 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 50 Servais Knaven (Ned) Team Milram | |
| 51 Nikita Eskov (Rus) Katusha Team | |
| 52 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 53 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Team Milram | |
| 54 Roy Sentjens (Bel) Team Milram | |
| 55 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha Team | |
| 56 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 57 Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 58 Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 59 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 60 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
| 61 Steven Van Vooren (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 62 Björn Schröder (Ger) Team Milram | |
| 63 Jens Mouris (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 64 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Team Milram | |
| 65 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky | |
| 66 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 67 Gert Dockx (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 68 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 69 Michiel Elijzen (Ned) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 70 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 71 Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step Cycling Team | |
| 72 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 73 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Katusha Team | |
| 74 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 75 Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
| 76 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 77 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 78 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 79 John Murphy (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
| 80 Danny Pate (USA) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 81 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Team Sky | |
| 82 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Katusha Team | |
| 83 Leif Hoste (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 84 Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 85 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 86 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | |
| 87 Davide Vigano (Ita) Team Sky | all s.t. |
| 88 Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 1:15 |
| 89 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | |
| 90 Domenik Klemme (Ger) Team Saxo Bank | both s.t. |
| 91 Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step Cycling Team | 1:19 |
| 92 Roger Kluge (Ger) Team Milram | |
| 93 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step Cycling Team | both s.t. |
| 94 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | 1:36 |
| 95 Juan Antonio Flecha (Esp) Team Sky | 1:50 |
| 96 Benjamin King (Aus) Trek Livestrong U23 | 3:15 |
| 97 Kenny De Haes (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | 3:22 |
| 98 Simon Zahner (Sui) BMC Racing Team | |
| 99 Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 100 Julian Kyer (USA) Trek Livestrong U23 | |
| 101 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 102 Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 103 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 104 Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team | |
| 105 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 106 Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 107 Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 108 Romain Matheou (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 109 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 110 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | all s.t. |
| 111 Xavier Florencio (Esp) Cervélo Test Team | 5:12 |
| 112 Jesse Sergent (NZl) Trek Livestrong U23 | |
| 113 Artem Ovechkin (Rus) Katusha Team | |
| 114 Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 115 Julien Bérard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 116 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Katusha Team | |
| 117 Cody Campbell (Can) Trek Livestrong U23 | |
| 118 Thimothy Roe (Aus) Trek Livestrong U23 | |
| 119 Michael Van Stayen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 120 Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 121 Lars-Peter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky | |
| 122 Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 123 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 124 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 125 Cedric Coutouly (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | all s.t. |
| GC | |
| 1 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 12:12:29 |
| 2 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions | at 0:06 |
| 3 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 4 Leigh Howard (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | both s.t. |
| 5 Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Katusha Team | 0:11 |
| 6 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | 0:12 |
| 7 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 0:14 |
| 8 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia | 0:16 |
| 9 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 10 Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 11 Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team | |
| 12 Martin Velits (Svk) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 13 Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 14 Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 15 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 16 Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 17 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | |
| 18 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | |
| 19 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | |
| 20 Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Team Saxo Bank | |
| 21 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
| 22 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 23 Lars Bak (Den) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 24 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 25 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram | |
| 26 Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | all s.t. |
| 27 Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 0:23 |
| 28 Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 29 Adam Hansen (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia | both s.t. |
| 30 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervélo Test Team | 0:24 |
| 31 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 32 Joaquin Novoa (Esp) Cervélo Test Team | both s.t. |
| 33 Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 0:39 |
| 34 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky | 1:01 |
| 35 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 36 Lucas Sebastien Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | 1:05 |
| 37 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Trek Livestrong U23 | 1:06 |
| 38 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Katusha Team | 1:08 |
| 39 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha Team | 1:15 |
| 40 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 1:17 |
| 41 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky | 1:21 |
| 42 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Team Milram | |
| 43 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 44 Nikita Eskov (Rus) Katusha Team | |
| 45 Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step Cycling Team | |
| 46 Roy Sentjens (Bel) Team Milram | |
| 47 John Murphy (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
| 48 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
| 49 Michiel Elijzen (Ned) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 50 Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 51 Baden Cooke (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | |
| 52 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 53 Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 54 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 55 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Team Milram | |
| 56 Jens Mouris (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 57 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 58 Gert Dockx (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 59 Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 60 Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
| 61 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 62 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Katusha Team | |
| 63 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Katusha Team | |
| 64 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 65 Steven Van Vooren (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 66 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 67 Servais Knaven (Ned) Team Milram | |
| 68 Björn Schröder (Ger) Team Milram | |
| 69 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
| 70 Danny Pate (USA) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 71 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 72 Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin - Transitions | |
| 73 Leif Hoste (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | all s.t. |
| 74 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 1:31 |
| 75 Roger Kluge (Ger) Team Milram | 1:35 |
| 76 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Team Sky | 1:43 |
| 77 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 1:47 |
| 78 Murilo Fischer (Bra) Garmin - Transitions | 1:57 |
| 79 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 2:03 |
| 80 Davide Vigano (Ita) Team Sky | s.t. |
| 81 Juan Antonio Flecha (Esp) Team Sky | 2:06 |
| 82 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia | 2:10 |
| 83 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step Cycling Team | 2:23 |
| 84 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step Cycling Team | 2:25 |
| 85 Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step Cycling Team | 2:27 |
| 86 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | 2:37 |
| 87 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | 3:27 |
| 88 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | 3:35 |
| 89 Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 3:38 |
| 90 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | |
| 91 Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | |
| 92 Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | all s.t. |
| 93 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team | 3:51 |
| 94 Julian Kyer (USA) Trek Livestrong U23 | 4:20 |
| 95 Benjamin King (Aus) Trek Livestrong U23 | 4:21 |
| 96 Frank Hoj (Den) Team Saxo Bank | 4:56 |
| 97 Benjamin King (USA) Trek Livestrong U23 | |
| 98 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | both s.t. |
| 99 Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | 5:00 |
| 100 Domenik Klemme (Ger) Team Saxo Bank | 5:06 |
| 101 Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team | 5:20 |
| 102 Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 5:24 |
| 103 Michael Van Stayen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 5:28 |
| 104 Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 105 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 106 Xavier Florencio (Esp) Cervélo Test Team | |
| 107 Kenny De Ketele (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
| 108 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Katusha Team | |
| 109 Artem Ovechkin (Rus) Katusha Team | |
| 110 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | |
| 111 Lars-Peter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky | all s.t. |
| 112 Julien Bérard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 6:20 |
| 113 Jesse Sergent (NZl) Trek Livestrong U23 | s.t. |
| 114 Cedric Coutouly (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 6:50 |
| 115 Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team | 7:13 |
| 116 Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 7:43 |
| 117 Romain Matheou (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 7:49 |
| 118 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 7:52 |
| 119 Matthe Pronk (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 8:54 |
| 120 Thimothy Roe (Aus) Trek Livestrong U23 | 9:03 |
| 121 Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 9:31 |
| 122 Kenny De Haes (Bel) Omega Pharma - Lotto | 11:07 |
| 123 Simon Zahner (Sui) BMC Racing Team | 11:11 |
| 124 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo | 11:56 |
| 125 Cody Campbell (Can) Trek Livestrong U23 | 13:28 |
| Team GC | |
| 1 Garmin-Transitions | 36:38:15 |
| 2 Team Saxo bank | |
| 3 Team HTC - Columbia | |
| 4 Cervélo Test Team | |
| 5 BMC Racing Team | |
| 6 Quick Step | all s.t. |
| 7 AG2R - La mondiale | 0:07 |
| 8 Liquigas - Doimos | 0:31 |
| 9 Team Katusha | 1:05 |
| 10 Team Milram | 2:10 |
| 11 Saur - Sojasun | 2:10 |
| 12 Omega Pharma - Lotto | 2:10 |
| 13 Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | 2:17 |
| 14 Sky Pro Cycling Team | 3:15 |
| 15 Trek Livestrong U23 | 6:04 |
| 16 Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator Pro Cycling Team | 7:49 |
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