After spending 150 kilometers off the front at the Muscat Classic for absolutely zero reward, Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto–Intermarché) decided to try the exact same tactic again today. This time, the peloton blinked.
On a punchy stage from Al Rustaq Fort to Yitti Hills, Veistroffer infiltrated a five-man move that stayed away for 194 kilometers. While the GC teams, led by race favorite Adam Yates, assumed the breakaway would crumble on the final climb, Veistroffer had other ideas. He dropped his breakaway companions, Tim Marsman and Patryk Goszczurny, on the slopes of Yitti Hills (1.6km at 6.6%) and held off the charging pack to take his first professional victory.
“People asked me why on earth I was doing that [in the Muscat Classic], but I simply needed it,” Veistroffer said. “That I got the chance to go all-in today and was able to make the most of it makes this victory even more special.”
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