Kristoff takes final stage sprint as Lutsenko wins the Tour of Oman

Alexander Kristoff wins stage 6 sprint ahead of Coquard and Nizzolo. Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) won the overall general classification after winning on Green Mountain

The last stage was short and flat and bunch sprint is expected. 

Five riders established a breakaway; Rémi Cavagna (Quick-Step Floors), Maxime Farazijn (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Xandro Meurisse (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Pim Ligthart (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij) and Fabricio Ferrari (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA ) and built up a lead of 4m 40s ahead of the peloton.

In the mountains the gap decreases rapidly to 2m 10s and Maxime Farazijn (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) was dropped, meanwhile several sprinters were dropped by the peloton.

Only Rémi Cavagna and Pim Lightart. were left at the front in the breakaway.

After crossing the finish line for the first time on the finishing circuit the 2 leaders had 1m 15 secs with 22kms to go. This was reduced to 30 seconds with 10 kms to go and the breakawy was reeled in 3 kms to go for the final bunch sprint.

Trek-Segafredo and UAE-Team Emirates lined up their sprinter trains and in the end it was UAE-Team Emirates  who led out Alexander Kristoff to take the sprint ahead of Bryan Coquard (Vital Concept) and Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Segafredo).

The 3rd win for Alexander Kristoff at the Matrah Corniche over the years.

VIDEO: 2018 Tour of Oman Stage 6 Final Kilometres

2018 Tour of Oman Stage 6 Top 10

1. Alexander Kristoff, (NOR) UAE TEAM EMIRATES,3:11:29
2. Bryan Coquard, (FRA) VITAL CONCEPT CYCLING CLUB, s.t
3. Giacomo Nizzolo, (ITA) TREK – SEGAFREDO,+00
4. Magnus Cort Nielsen, (DEN) ASTANA PRO TEAM, s.t
5. Nathan Haas, (AUS) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, s.t
6. Davide Martinelli, (ITA) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, s.t
7. Amaury Capiot, (BEL) SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, s.t
8. Greg Van Avermaet, (BEL) BMC RACING TEAM, s.t
9. Benjamin Declercq, (BEL) SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE, s.t
10. Floris Gerts, (NED) ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ, s.t

2018 Tour of Oman Overall Top 10 (to be confirmed)

1. Alexey Lutsenko, (KAZ) ASTANA PRO TEAM, in 22:49:50
2. Miguel Angel Lopez Moreno, (COL) ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :11
3. Gorka Izagirre Insausti, (ESP) BAHRAIN – MERIDA, at :28
4. Jesus Herrada, (ESP) COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS, at :30
5. Nathan Haas, (AUS) TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN, at :32
6. Dries Devenyns, (BEL) QUICK – STEP FLOORS, at 01:05
7. Daniel Garcia Navarro, (ESP) COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CRéDITS, at 01:14
8. Odd Christian Eiking, (NOR) WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT, at 01:24
9. Merhawi Kudus, (ERI) TEAM DIMENSION DATA, at 01:29
10. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa, (POR) UAE TEAM EMIRATES, at 01:37

Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) won the overall race after winning the 152-kilometre Queen stage of the race thatfinished atop Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain). Astana teammate Lopez and took the stage victory while Lutsenko took over the leader's jersey from Greg van Avermaet (BMC) who lost time on the final climb on stage 5.