South African Timo Cooper takes victory in Oman's Trans Hajar Mountain Bike Stage Race

The fourth annual Trans Hajar race began in Oman on Wednesday 5 February 2014, with 90 professional and amateur mountain bike racers lining up to begin their quest for victory, in one of the Middle East’s premier events. Beginning just outside Oman’s capital Muscat, riders from 20 different nationalities took part in the four-day, 303.7km event.

Hours of racing came down to just a few seconds; after a close fought two-way battle with Roman Van Uden (NZL) throughout the week’s racing, Cooper edged ahead with a narrow overall victory time of 11:45:41, just 7 seconds ahead of Van Uden.

Fellow South African Hannele Steyn maintained the lead she’d held from the first day’s individual time trial to win the women’s classification for the second year running, finishing in 13:44:30.

The winners and first and second runners up were presented with cash prizes, with both the male and female winners receiving 10,000 OMR (£15,825).

For many competitors, this was their first multi-stage event and there was an atmosphere of excitement and nervous anticipation. Riders could begin each day when they were ready, with the majority choosing to start in the early morning; temperatures reached 30°C in the midday Omani sunshine.

British motorcycle racing TV personality Guy Martin, star of the recent UK documentary series Speed, finished the Trans Hajar race in 11th place in 13:59:33.

“I’ve done 24-hour solo races for years. I thought, looking in from the outside, the race was going to be easy,” explained Martin.

“The days are not so long but it was faster than I like. Sprint racing is not my thing. It was an eye-opener. I didn’t account for the heat, coming from an English winter,” Martin admitted.

Men’s Winner Timo Cooper commented: “Day one started off with a bit of disappointment when I lost a lot of time against my rivals, but from day two, I decided to make up all the time I could, especially in the third day.”

He added: “We can’t ask for more here. Oman has got it all. This is my first time here. It was really amazing. The scenery is mind-blowing and I keep telling people back home about the capturing terrain here.”

Women’s Winner Hannele Steyn said: “Not one day was easy, not even the last day. I think it is an incredible event and it is beautiful to stay here. We have met a lot of people; everything was catered for. This event has got it all whether you’re a technical rider or a climber. You will always remember a race from how tough and challenging it was.”

Oman is a captivating country characterised by unsurpassable natural beauty and a rich cultural heritage. Located on the Tropic of Cancer and defined by three seas – the Arabian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea, it is a country of vastly contrasting and exquisite panoramas. From arid desert and secret oases to 3,000 kilometres of dramatic coastline set off by the awe-inspiring Jebel Akhdar mountain range; it is an adventurer’s paradise.

From the winners to the charity riders, the race was thoroughly enjoyed by all its participants, who praised the Trans Hajar for its tough but rewarding routes, stunning coastal views and the sense of camaraderie amongst everyone taking part.

As another successful Trans Hajar draws to a close, many now look ahead to lining up against even more competitors when the race makes its return in 2015.

About the Trans Hajar Mountain Bike Race, Oman

The four-day Trans Hajar Mountain Bike Race in Oman is an annual multi-stage mountain bike race that takes place in the Al Hajar mountains in the Sultanate of Oman.

Participants experience Oman’s varied terrain and some of the best mountain biking trails in the world. The route features a variety of technical rock gardens, wadi beds, wide dusty graded roads and over 20 gradient climbs and descents.

The race has open men and open women categories and welcomes individual entrants from countries from all over the world.

The fifth edition of The Trans Hajar Mountain Bike Race will take place in 2015.

About Oman

Oman is a captivating country characterised by unsurpassable natural beauty and a rich cultural heritage. Daytime temperatures in February average 25°C. The route, which begins just beyond Oman’s capital, Muscat, perfectly showcases the country’s magnificently varied terrain and features technical rock gardens, wadi beds, black top sections, single track and wide dusty graded roads.

Situated on the south-east coast of the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oman with its population of just over 3 million and capital city, Muscat, were declared ‘must-see’ destinations by National Geographic and Lonely Planet in 2012. Muscat was also named Arabia’s 2012 Tourism Capital for its unique blend of tradition and sophisticated modernity.

Located on the Tropic of Cancer and defined by three seas – the Arabian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea, it is a country of vastly contrasting exquisite panoramas. From arid desert and secret oases to 3,000 kilometres of dramatic coastline set off by the awe-inspiring Jebel Akhdar mountain range; it is an adventurer’s paradise.