Tour of Oman

Luke Lamperti confirmed there’s more to him than meets the eye on the second stage of the Tour of Oman. Two days after taking runner-up in the hilly Muscat Classic, where he won the bunch sprint behind the solo victor of the day, the 21-year-old from Santa Rosa produced an incredible ride on the first uphill finish of the Omani stage race, finishing ahead of the climbers and the puncheurs on his way to another podium.

It was a rain-hit day at the Tour of Oman, something that isn’t common here, but that didn’t prevent the peloton from bringing back the three-man breakaway group that at one point had a six-minute gap. Things began heating up despite the inclement weather in anticipation of the final battle, as more teams moved to the front knowing positioning would be key.

On the tough Qurayyat climb, averaging 6.7% over 2.7 kilometers but featuring ramps of 14% under the flamme rouge, Luke showcased his undoubted talent and turned heads with a ride impossible to ignore that netted him another second, behind Finn Fisher-Black (UAE Team Emirates), and out him in the same position ahead of Monday’s stage.

“The weather was crazy. Because it hasn’t rained for so long the roads were very slippery, something I have never encountered before. The team rode really well and helped me get to the climb in a good position. The plan was to survive and see what I could do, as the finish was on paper too hard for me, but with the weather it was also about positioning and being smart, and I managed to get this nice podium. It’s a good result, but we’ll keep looking for a win here”, Luke said after the race which saw another Soudal Quick-Step rider, Mauri Vansevenant, finish in the top ten.

Photo credit: ©Wout Beel