(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) With defending champion Chris Froome of Team Sky opting out of this year's Tour of Oman 2014 Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali of Italy starts as the favourite as the sixth edition begins on Tuesday with the 161km opening stage from Bayt al Naman Castle in Barka to Wattayah.
The field is packed with Grand Tour contenders and general classification (overall title) hopefuls with 18 teams featuring eight riders each competing over six days for four jerseys - red (general classification/overall title) green (general points) white (best young rider) and red and white (most aggressive rider) - and chasing a total prize money of RO45780. The overall title winner will bag RO4830.
Froome who won the race in 2013 and 2014 has chosen to face off this year with Tinkoff-Saxo's Alberto Contador in the Vuelta a Andalucia in Spain.
In recent years the Tour of Oman has quickly become the international cycling season's opening major competition involving the world's top riders.
The fourth stage is the highlight of the race - the steep climb to Jebel Akhdar - and besides that the riders will be tested during stage five when they head out to the Bausher-Al Amerat road which offers a challenging route in warm weather conditions that are rare at this stage of the season.
The Tour of Oman has the record of being the only event outside Europe to have hosted the past six winners of the Tour de France - Contador Andy Schleck Cadel Evans Bradley Wiggins Froome and Nibali.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday's start Nibali of Kazakhstan's Astana Pro Team said 'I like the Tour of Oman. I've had great satisfaction in Oman in the past like winning the Green Mountain (Jebel Akhdar) stage back on my debut in 2012. I hope to win there again even though I know I'll face fierce competition.'
The Italian rider is participating in the event for the fourth time in a row and is expected to face stiff competition for the overall title from several top climbers.
Among the major contenders are Tejay van Garderen and the 2012 winner Peter Velits (both with BMC Racing Team); Roman Kreuziger and the 2014 Tour de France's King of the Mountain Rafal Majka (both with Tinkoff-Saxo); Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) Leopold Konig (Sky) Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin) Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) and Matthias Frank (IAM Cycling).
Also vying for the title are classics specialists and sprinters Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) Arnaud Demare (FDJ) Fabian Cancellara (Trek) Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quick Step) Nacer Bou-hanni (Cofidis) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (MTN-Qhubeka).
The 18-team field features 13 WorldTour sides including Astana BMC Racing Tinkoff-Saxo Katusha Movistar FDJ Trek Factory Racing Team Sky Giant-Alpecin Etixx-Quick Step Lampre-Merida Orica-GreenEdge and IAM Cycling.
Before the climbers come to the fore the sprinters will get a chance to shine. The opening stage takes the peloton across the 161km flat route in a typical bunch sprint.
Although similarly flat roads characterise the start of stage two at Al Hazm Castle more difficulties await the riders towards the finish at Al Bustan in the form of a couple of short climbs over the final 25km.
Stage three is a lot more straightforward with a flat circuit beginning and ending at the Musannah Sports City.
The pivotal point of the race will occur atop Jebel Akhdar to be climbed towards the end of stage four.
It is the only categorised climb in the stage meaning the riders will spend the rest of the day leading up to the crucial steep ramp that begins a 5.7km effort.
While stage four will shape the general classification placements stage five will provide the riders an opportunity to shake things up and rejig the standings.
The Bausher-Al Amerat climb has proven a touch challenging in recent editions and will be climbed a gruelling four times in the second half of the stage.
This stage is expected to knock the sprinters out of the overall title hunt while it could result in a shuffle at the top of the general classification standings.
Going by past records in the Tour of Oman the rider who takes the leader's jersey at the end of stage five can be somewhat certain of the overall title win with stage six's ride from the Oman Air headquarters to Muttrah Corniche offering a relatively easy bunch sprint.
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