Slovakia's Peter Sagan, riding for the Cannondale team, won Friday's Tour of Oman 173-kilometre fourth stage from Wadi Al Abiyad to Muscat to claim the overall lead.
Sagan, who inherits the leader's red jersey from Andre Greipel, prevailed in a sprint from Rigoberto Uran of Colombia and Italian rider Vincenzo Nibali.
Sagan, Uran and Nibali finished around two seconds up on a small group of pursuers comprising most of the race favourites, notably British Tour de France winner Chris Froome.
Froome, last year's winner in Oman, has an 18-second gap to make up on Sagan in the overall standings.
The Team Sky rider said: "We've got a title to defend and that's what I'll be doing."
Stage winner Sagan for his part reported: "It was really very important for my confidence to take such a difficult stage."
"I've already been placed second three times this year, it was about time I had a win."
He added: "My form is really very good and what pleases me more is the form of my teammates who were alongside me up the climbs.
"Today we had the best team."
The stage was marked by a long breakaway from Belgium's Greg Van Avermaet who led until the third climb of the day.
Saturday's fifth and penultimate stage takes the peloton on a 75km ride from Bidbid up to the Green Mountain summit of Jabal Al Akhdhar.
