18 TEAMS IN FRAY FOR TOUR OF OMAN

Besides the Oman National Team, seventeen teams from across the world have been selected to vie for the 12th edition of the Tour of Oman cycling championship which is to be held from February 11 to 15.

Sources at the Muscat Municipality, the key organisers of the Muscat Nights — continuation of the erstwhile Muscat Festival — said elaborate arrangements are in place to make the major sports event in the region a grand success as nearly half a dozen of countries of the world are participating in the event.

Nine UCI World Teams, AG2R Citroen team, the French cycling team with UCI World Team status, Astana-qazaqstan, professional road bicycle racing team sponsored by the Samruk-kazyna, a coalition of state-owned companies, Team Bora-hansgrohe, UCI World Team cycling team established in 2010 with a German license, Cofidis, French professional road bicycle racing team, Intermarche-circuswanty,

a UCI World Team that is title sponsored by French supermarket chain Intermarche, Movistar Team, the Spanish professional road bicycle racing team which participates at UCI World Team level, Soudal Quick-step, Belgian UCI World Team cycling team, Team Arkea-samsic, a French UCI Pro Team cycling team based, and UAE Team Emirates are selected to compete during the four-day cycling race which is second only to Tour de France.

The six UCI Pro Teams comprising Bingoal WB, the Belgian UCI Pro Team, Burgos-bh, the Spanish UCI

Pro Team cycling team, Equipo Kern Pharma, Spanish UCI Pro Team road cycling team, Human Powered Health, the Us-based UCI Pro Team cycling team, Lotto Dstny, the Belgian professional cycling team at UCI Pro Team, and Uno-x Pro Cycling Team, a professional road cycling team based in Norway and Denmark are part of the Tour of Oman 2023.

Additionally, two Continental Teams, such as JCL Team Ukyo, Japanese UCI Continental cycling team and Terengganu Polygon, a Malaysian UCI Continental cycling team are all set to paddle to success.

Champions from all over the world will battle with the national team of Oman, whose riders ignited several moves for their first participation last year. There are two events this year, Muscat Classic which begins at Al Mouj Muscat and ends at Al Bustan on February 10, besides the 2023 stages Tour of Oman which covers major tourist destinations of the country.

While the UCI Worldteams have confirmed their participation, the national team of Oman is making its comeback after their debut in 2022.