Tour of Oman Stage 4

RBA/AFP – Danish sprinter Magnus Cort won stage four of the Tour of Oman on Friday as Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet retained the overall lead. Astana’s Cort, 25, edged ahead of Italians Giovanni Visconti and Alberto Bettiol in the final sprint.

The 117.5 kilometre (73 mile) stage from the northeastern coastal village of Yiti to the capital Muscat lasted just under three hours. Belgian Van Avermaet, who won Thursday’s third stage, leads by nine seconds from Cort’s Kazakh team-mate Alexey Lutsenko.

Stage five on Saturday involves a rugged 152km (95 mile) route, involving a final dramatic climb to the top of Jabal al-Akhdhar (Green Mountain).

Stage three results:

1. Magnus Cort (Astana) 2hrs, 57min, 36sec

2. Giovanni Visconti (ITA/Bahrain-Meridia) same time

3. Alberto Bettiol (ITA/BMC) s.t.

4. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/BMC) s.t.

5. Rui Costa (POR/Emirates) s.t.

6. Nathan Haas (AUS/Katusha) s.t.

7. Mark Christian (GBR/Aqua Blue) s.t.

8. Merhawi Ghebremedhin (ERI/Dimension Data) s.t.

9. Odd Eiking (NOR/Wanty) s.t.

10. Jesus Herrada (ESP/Cofidis) s.t.

Photos: Bettini

Overall standings:

1. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/BMC) 15hr 54min 20sec

2. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ/Astana) at 9sec

3. Nathan Haas (AUS/Katusha) 13

4. Gorka Insausti (ESP/Bahrain-Merida) 16

5. Miguel Moreno (COL/Astana) 24

6. Dries Devenyns (BEL/Quick-Step) 25

7. Odd Eiking (NOR/Wanty) at s.t.

8. Jesus Lopez (ESP/Cofidis) at s.t.

9. Daniel Garcia (ESP/Cofidis) at s.t.

10. Merhawi Ghebremedhin (ERI/Dimension Data) at 33sec.