If you thought XDS Astana was just here for the early-season sunshine, you were wrong. The team formerly known for chaotic tactics and bright blue kits just pulled off a tactical masterclass on Green Mountain to seal the overall title.
Christian Scaroni took the stage win and the General Classification, but the real story was the team dominance. His teammate Cristián Rodríguez finished second on the stage and second overall, securing a rare 1-2 finish on the brutal slopes of Jebel Akhdar.
The Climb: The script was predictable: Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) launched his trademark attack inside the final 2km. But instead of cracking, XDS Astana used the numbers. Rodríguez paced Scaroni back to Yates’ wheel, effectively neutralizing the pre-race favorite. In the final kilometer, Scaroni—who packs a much faster finish than a pure climber—waited for Yates to fade before launching his winning move.
The “Blue” Wave: It wasn’t just Oman. Almost simultaneously, XDS Astana riders went 1-2 at the Asian Road Championships (Yevgeniy Fedorov gold, Haoyu Su silver).
The Stat of the Day: Following today’s results, XDS Astana currently leads the UCI WorldTour three-year ranking. Yes, you read that correctly. It is February 2026, and Astana is the best team in the world.
Results
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