Casper upends Sky to win stage one in Tour of Oman. Abdul was right.

Jimmy and podium Sheik.

Veteran Muslim cycling commentator Abdul El Salaam predicted the finish with 100% accuracy. Make no mistake, Abdul can read a race better than Johan Bruyneel. Reached by phone, Abdul croaked out only one word: Casper.

Yes, Jimmy Casper’s name is now carved in stone or bronze as the first stage winner in the inaugural Tour of Oman. The Frenchman who rides for Saur-Sojasun bested Edvald Boasson Hagen and his Sky train and Kenny Dehaes (Omega Pharma-Lotto).

“I knew it would be difficult to beat riders like Boonen and Chicchi who showed they’re on form in Qatar but I got my sprint just right,” said Casper.

Felicitations Jimmy. The Saur-Sojasun campaign for a  wildcard invite to the Tour de France is off to a flying start. Nothing like a win in front of the tour bosses to jack up the odds.

How big was this win for Caspar? He had it measured down to the centimeter. “I followed the Team Sky lead out and was on Boasson Hagen’s wheel. He jumped with about 150m to go and then I went on the lift with about fifty meters to go. It was late but I just beat him at the line by about 20 centimeters. Not much but one centimeter is enough.”

Abdul called the race.

The raucous night time circuit race was held before throngs of fans on the Muscat Corniche. Riders tackled a 16 lap down- and- back course along the waterfront between the Riyam and Fish roundabouts.

Despite the generally cautious start (no headlights for these guys) it wasn’t long before Muscat got crazy. First, Wilfried Cretskens (Omega Pharma – Lotto), Novoa Menedez (Cervelo TestTeam) and Cedric Coutouly (Saur – Sojasun) rolled the dice.

Four laps later they were joined by German Champion Martin Reimer (Cervelo TestTeam), Peter Wrolich (Milram) and former-World Champion Alessandro Ballan (BMC). Abdul had these moves dialed even before the guys did — although he had high hopes for Ballan.

Once that pipe dream ended, Marco Pinotti (HTC-Columbia), Robert Hunter (Garmin-Transitions), Nikita Eskov (Katusha) and Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) gave it a go — which quickly became a no-go. With Team Sky hitting the after-burners, things looked promising for Boasson Hagen.

However, it was Casper who had the fast twitch fibers working. The short, powerful rider took the win, stepped onto the podium and looked around for his kisses from the sexy harem girls. Uhh, no.

He did however score a vigorous congratulatory handshake from some dignitary in a white robe. No podium girls in Oman, only podium sheiks. Jimmy, you can always get a little champagne back at the hotel.

Etoile de Besseges. Borut Bozic and Vacansoleil shine in stage 1.

Bozic busts loose.

Score one for the Sunny Vacationers.

The team sponsored by the vacation company (Vancan, short for vacation, soliel, sun in French) won the first stage of the Etoile de Besseges. Slovenian Borut Bozic, operating on tired legs, still sprinted to the win over An Post-Sean Kelly team’s Niko Eeckhout and Frenchman Arnaud Molmy.

“It was more than perfect how the team rode today. It’s unbelievable that I already win right now, my teammates convinced me to participate in the sprint, as in my opinion I wasn’t good enough to do a sprint,” said Bozic.

Julien Loubet (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Floris Goesinnen (Skil-Shimano) executed the break of the day at kilometer 18 and were soon in another time zone, gaining almost 10 minutes before the chase group got the wake-up call.

Française des Jeux and Vacansoleil ramped up the speed and made an earlier than expected catch with two circuits of 19.5 kilometers to go. Even the late arrival of guest Johan Coenen (Topsport Vlaanderen) only postponed the inevitable. Au revoir, Julien and Floris, you got your airtime on France 2 — see you at the bar at La Casqille.

Yes, it was all work for the Sunny Vacationers but the sun was in fact shining for the 146km race from Aigues Mortes to Le Grau du Roi. In the bunch sprint, Bozic put a stop to the FdJ train and its sprinter Sébastien Chavanel — who experienced the meager thrill of fourth place.

“This is surely not our last victory in the coming weeks. The leader jersey is a good support and I will see what is going to happen day by day,” said Bozic. Okay, big fella, rest up, vacation time now.

Jaan Kirsipuu wins Jayco stage one. Is 40 the new 20 for sprinters?

Can I see some ID, please?

Jaan Kirsipuu, age 40, won the first stage of the Jayco Tour and was promptly pulled off his bike, gently eased into his wheelchair and taken back to his quiet room at the Home for Retired Bike Racers.

How does this man do it? He’s 40 years old and beating sprinters half his age. He’s whacking speedsters from Garmin Slipstream and fast-men from Flying V and screaming quick guys from Rock Racing.

He’s 40 years old and winning a ProTour sprint, folks. The man probably has age spots, he needs dental work, his knees are knocking together. He sleeps in one of those beds that fold up so old people can watch insomniac TV. In cycling years, he’s old man Kirsipuu. His wikipedia bio says he’s retired!

His memory is going and mechanics have to remind him where he left his race bike. The other guys on that crazy Estonian team LeTua probably chew his food for him. This is impressive, amazing, incomprehensible stuff.

Kirsipuu doesn’t even need a train to slingshot him past. It’s imperative he publish his autobiography immediately. Something snazzy and attention-getting like Cavendish’s Boy Racer. Twisted Spoke suggests The Geriatric Jet or Go Grandpa Go or maybe Golden Years, Golden Gears.

Is he on some Estonian Super yogurt? We don’t want Chris Carmicheal’s Armstrong plan, give us the Estonian super elixir. Fast twitch fibers aren’t supposed to twitch this long. Kirsipuu looks like some kinda bald retired dock worker or aging theater director. The only wheel he’s supposed to grab is on a golf cart.

The man just keeps winning sprints but, you know, this is getting old. Is 40 the new 20?

Benitez wins stage 1 sprint in Vuelta Chihuahua. Speedy Gonzales in second.

Big dog in the Chihuahua.

Javier Benitez (Contentpolis) won the first sprint etapa, in the 118 kilometer stage from Chihauhua to Cuauthemoc.

Cartoon character Speedy Gonzales, riding for the Los LooneyTunes squad was nipped at the line by the Italian fast man and settled for second place. Ah, just kidding, amigos. Numero dos was actually Cristian Benatti (ISD) with Michael Kreder (Radobank) on his wheel.

Noted Mexican sprinter

The early show featured escapados David Vitoria (Rock Racing), José Gómez (Canel’s Turbo), Andrey Amador (Caisse d’Epargne), Gorka Izaguirre (Contentpolis) and Eric Boily (Planet Energy). They built a five minute lead before the Tecos team of race leader Michael Rasmussen reeled them back.

The “chicken” or “el pollo” as we call him in Chihauhua-land, retains the lead in the overall classification, keeping his lime jersey that’s the exact same color as a bottle of Jarritos lime-limon.

As usual, the excitment never stops at the Chihuahua, the race of the yappy toy dog. Stunned riders learned that the infamous Frito Bandito and his gang of marauders had ransacked the feed zone. There were no energy bars or Gatorade left when the wearly riders rolled past.

The bandito struck.

According to reports, the bandito sang a modified version of his classic jingle: “Aye, yii, yii, yiiii, I am dee Frito Bandito. I like Clif Bars. I love them, I do. I want Clif Bars. I’ll take them, from you.”

The Bizarre Dutch link. We said the Chihauhau just gets stranger and stranger. Latest oddity: When we read etapa one ran through Mennonite country, we assumed some translator had just completely blown a mental fuse. Mennonites in Mexico?

But no, a group of Mennonites from a sect started by Dutchman Menno Simons  left Canada in the twenties and set up shop in Cuauhtémoc. No wonder Dane Michael Rasmussen feels so at home. This means you can get a chicken enchilada with sauerkraut. The mind reels. But we have no time for that because etapa 2 is on tap.