Tour of Oman

The race is built around Green Mountain, a summit finish that typically arrives on stage five, the penultimate day. That positioning forces contenders to shape the race early rather than simply wait for the final acceleration. Time gaps opened on Green Mountain are difficult to close on the final stage, so the race must stay open heading into the climb. Flat or rolling stages in the opening days can be deceptively important: a poorly timed split, a crosswind gap, or an early time trial can put climbers out of contention before they reach their preferred terrain. The winner is usually a climber who has managed the first four days without losing time and then has the legs to respond when the road tilts upward.