photo credits @ ToO
There are two ways to win in the always unpredictable finale of the Yiti Hills stage. Either by standing out among the peloton’s best puncheurs, as Diego Ulissi did in 2023, or by banking on a successful breakaway, like Louis Vervaeke in 2025, and now Baptiste Veistroffer, the author of a heroic solo ride in the finale of the longest stage of the Tour of Oman (191.4 km).
The Lotto–Intermarché rider had already shown his ambition by spending 151 kilometers alone at the front during the Muscat Classic. This time, it was from a five-man breakaway, later reduced to a trio, that the young Frenchman executed a plan he had carefully prepared. The former triathlete dropped his last two companions, Patryk Goszczurny and Tim Marsman, on the penultimate steep ramp of the day to claim his first professional victory solo and take the red leader’s jersey of the Tour of Oman.
In the general classification, he leads Henok Mulubrhan and Thibaud Gruel, who contested the peloton sprint on the finish line and are respectively 25 and 27 seconds behind in the overall standings.
The white jersey in the breakaway
After the withdrawals of Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ United) and Einer Rubio (Movistar), 121 riders remain at the start, at the foot of the Al Rustaq Fort, built in the 13th century. From kilometer zero, the holder of the white and gold jerseys, Patryk Goszczurny (Visma–Lease a Bike), shows his ambition to defend his position in the combativity classification.
After two kilometers, he is joined by Gil Gelders (Soudal–Quick Step), Tim Marsman (Alpecin–Premier Tech), Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto–Intermarché) and Said Al Rahbi (Oman) to form the breakaway of the day, which passes kilometer 20 with a three-minute lead over the peloton.
Al Rahbi and Gelders dropped on the descent
The five attackers extend their advantage to four minutes, recorded at the intermediate sprint of Wadi Al Maawil (km 59). This lead is slightly reduced by the combined work of UAE and Jayco-AlUla as they approach the climb of Fanja (km 90.5), where the gap is down to 3’05’’.
More importantly, the group loses two riders on the descent: Gil Gelders and Said Al Rahbi are forced to let the other three continue at the front. At the intermediate sprint of Al Kabar (km 137.9), the trio regains a margin of 3’45’’, allowing Patryk Goszczurny in particular to stock up on combativity points. The 19-year-old collects more points at the summit of the Bousher Al Amerat climb (km 152.1), where the peloton closes in to 2’45’’.
Stage and overall victory for Veistroffer
With 25 km to go, the leading trio senses the threat of the peloton at 1’55’’. The danger becomes more tangible on the Halamriyahclimb, as Jayco-AlUla bring the peloton back to 1’05’’. Baptiste Veistroffer reads the situation and launches a solo attack in the final section of this 900-meter wall with an average gradient of 9.4%, dropping his two breakaway companions.
He charges on without looking back toward the Yiti Hills climb, which he tackles with a 45-second lead over the peloton. It is enough to complete his solo effort, take the stage victory and seize the overall lead.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
